JPS62286065A - Image carrier unit for electrostatic recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve handling efficiency for attachment/detachment and distribution and reduce the running cost by setting a structure frame to a device body with an image carrier held to set the image carrier to a prescribed position and providing the structure frame with apertures so that parts facing respective apparatus of the electrostatic photographic process on the peripheral surface of the image carrier are exposed. CONSTITUTION:An upper structure frame 2 is provided between a charging charger 7 and a developing device 10 and is provided with apertures in parts of an exposure light optical path and an eraser. A lower structure frame 3 is provided between pretransfer LED12 and a cleaning device 18 an is provided with an aperture in the range of transfer and separating chargers 14 and 15, and an aperture is provided between upper and lower structure frames 2 and 3. The upper part, the lower part, and both end parts of a photosensitive drum 1 are freely rotatably held by structure frames 2, 3, 23, and 25, and the drum 1 is slided in this state by a guide 26 and is attached and detached. Thus, the photosensitive drum 1 is attached and detached while being approximately positioned by structure frames and is prevented from being damaged by peripheral process apparatus.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 3. Detailed Description of the Invention Technical Field The present invention relates to an image bearing member integrated with a supporting member in order to improve the handling properties of an image bearing member included in an electrostatic recording device. It is related to body uni-sole.

Conventional technology Image carriers such as photoreceptor drums that carry electrostatic latent images and toner images of electrostatic recording devices that utilize electrophotographic processes such as electrophotographic copying machines, electrostatic printers, and facsimiles are as follows:
Conventionally, it has generally been attached alone to the main body of the device. In this case, the photosensitive drum was cut so that the guide member was inserted into the inside of the drum, flanges and bearings were attached to the front and rear, and then the front side plate was attached so that the photosensitive drum could be positioned and attached to the front side plate of the main body of the apparatus. For this reason, not only is it time-consuming to attach the photoreceptor drum, but the entire outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum is exposed when it is attached and removed. Process equipment such as cleaning equipment and static eliminators may damage the surface 1 of the photoreceptor drum.

In addition, in the distribution form, the photoreceptor drum is bare, so a strong box or the like for storage is required.

Therefore, in order to improve the handling of the photoreceptor drum, the photoreceptor drum and a part of the surrounding process t'lAk, such as a charger, a developing device, a residual toner cleaning member, and a toner tank collected by this, are separated. Recently, a cartridge has been used in which the cartridge is integrally detachable, and when the cartridge is replaced, the entire cartridge is replaced with a new one.

Although this has improved handling, the lifespan of the photoreceptor drum and each device that make up the cartridge is different, and if even one breaks down, usable parts must be replaced and disposed of at the same time, making it difficult to run the cartridge. The drawback was that it was expensive.

Purpose The present invention addresses the drawbacks of image carriers such as photoreceptor drums in conventional electrostatic recording devices as described in item 1 above, provides excellent ease of attachment/detachment to and from the device body and handling during distribution, and reduces running costs. The first objective is to provide an image carrier unit that is useful for.

Configuration In order to achieve the above object, the image carrier unit of the present invention is composed of an image carrier and a structural frame that rotatably supports the image carrier, and the structural frame is attached to the main body of the apparatus while holding the image carrier. It is removable and can be attached to the main body of the apparatus, so that the image carrier is mounted in a predetermined position, and in this state, the peripheral surface of the image carrier is attached to the structural frame so that the portion facing each electrophotographic process device is exposed. It is characterized by having an opening provided in it.

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

FIG. 1 is a sectional view including a photoreceptor unit and peripheral equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the photoreceptor unit.

The photoreceptor unit according to the present invention includes a photoreceptor drum 1 and a structural frame that rotatably supports the photoreceptor drum 1 at both ends. The structural frames are soil structure frame 2, soil structure frame 3, front plate 23, and rear plate 2.
5 are integrally combined. The photoconductor drum is formed so that its front end surface is integrally formed with a cylindrical surface, and its central protrusion is pivotally supported by a bearing 22 provided at the center of the front side plate 23 of the structural frame, and the flange 24 of the other photoconductor is is rotatably supported by the rear side plate 25 of the structural frame. The structural frame rotatably supports the photosensitive drum 1 and is detachable from the main body of the apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, around the photoreceptor drum 1, a charger 7, an exposure device 9, an eraser 8,
developer], O, ], 1, pre-transfer exposure LED 12,
Transfer charger 14, separation charger] 5, separation claw 6,
A cleaning device 18 including a toner concentration sensor 5 and a cleaning fastening blade 17, a static elimination LED], and 9 are provided in the main body of the device.

The transfer paper fed to the transfer section between the photoreceptor drum 1 and the transfer charger 14 at the same timing by the registration roller 13 is separated from the photoreceptor drum 1 by the separation charger 15 and the separation claw, and is separated from the photoreceptor drum 1 by the conveyance melt] 6. The image is transported to the fixing device. The apparatus shown in this figure is a two-color copying machine, and developing devices 10 and 11 are provided for two different colors. Furthermore, the toner concentration sensor 5 and separation claw 6 are attached to the soil structure frame 3.◇The structure frames 2 and 3 of the photoreceptor unit are inserted by sliding the guide portions onto the guide rails 26 attached to the main body of the apparatus. death,
The front side plate 23 (FIG. 2) is positioned and fixed with respect to the front side plate on the apparatus side. In this installed state, a drive shaft (not shown) protruding forward from the rear side plate of the apparatus body fits into a hole in the center of the flange 24 of the photoreceptor drum 1, and the rear part of the photoreceptor drum 1 is positioned and can be driven. Become. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 20 is a grounding plate spring, and 21 is a cover.

As described above, the peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 is exposed without being covered by the structural frames 2 and 3 so that the peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 can be operated by the process equipment disposed around it when it is mounted in a predetermined position. The position and shape of the structural frame and the size of the opening are determined so that Specifically, the soil structure frame 2 is provided between the charger 7 and the developing device 10, and has openings at the exposure paths and the eraser. Also, lower structure frame 3
is between pre-transfer LEDI 2 and cleaning device] 8
An opening is provided in the range of +115. An opening is also formed between the upper and lower structural frames 2.3.

As described above, the photoreceptor drum is attached and detached by sliding the structural frame on the guide 26 with the upper and lower parts and both ends rotatably held by the structural frame 2, 3T23, 25. While the approximate position is being determined by
There is no risk of damage to the photoreceptor drum from surrounding process equipment. Furthermore, since the photosensitive drum is protected by the structural frame even after being removed from the apparatus main body, it can be placed anywhere relatively freely. According to this configuration,
The photoreceptor drum is supported by a guide member inside the photoreceptor as in the past, and there is no need to pivotally support both ends of the guide member by the main body of the device, and the photoreceptor drum is made by molding one end surface integrally with the cylindrical surface. Therefore, the number of processing and assembly steps can be reduced.

In addition to the structure of the above-described embodiment, the structural frame can be made of a molded product made of resin material to further reduce the number of members.

In addition, if it is possible to attach a member to cover the opening of the structural frame and the exposed part between the upper and lower structural frames, it is possible to cover the entire surface of the photoreceptor in the distribution mode of one photoreceptor drum. It becomes easier to handle during the distribution process.

Furthermore, since the photoreceptor unit of the present invention does not include any process equipment, there is no need to dispose of usable equipment and parts, unlike when replacing a conventional photoreceptor and part of the process equipment with a cartridge type. Running costs can be reduced.

Advantage 1 As mentioned above, according to the present invention, handling efficiency is improved when an image bearing member such as a photoreceptor drum is attached to and removed from an apparatus main body, and during distribution, which is effective in reducing running costs. .

Furthermore, the support structure for the photosensitive drum can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the arrangement of a photoreceptor unit and peripheral equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the photoreceptor unit. J...Photosensitive drum (image carrier), 2.3+23+25...Structural frame, 71811011]11211.41151]8゜19
・°・Process equipment

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) Consists of an image carrier used in an electrostatic recording device and a structural frame that rotatably supports it.The structural frame can be attached to and removed from the device body while holding the image carrier, and is attached to the device body. By doing so, the image carrier is mounted in a predetermined position,
An image carrier unit characterized in that an opening is provided in the structural frame so that in this state, a portion of the circumferential surface of the image carrier facing each electrophotographic process device is exposed. (2) The image carrier unit according to claim 1, wherein the image carrier is a photosensitive drum whose one end surface is integrally molded with a cylindrical surface. (3) The image carrier unit according to claim 1, wherein a cover member can be attached to the opening of the structural frame that exposes the peripheral surface of the image carrier.