JPS63267057A - Electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize and simplify a structure by freely and movably providing a switching board which selectively opens and closes the port of an original exhaust passage and that of a fixing passage on the downstream side of a copying part and providing a picture read part on a form path. CONSTITUTION:The switching board 20 which selectively opens and closes the port of the original exhaust passage 17 and that of the fixing passage 18 is freely and movably provided on the downstream side of the copying part 7 and the picture read part 33 whose output side is connected with an electrostatic latent image forming means 5 and which optically read the picture of an original is provided on the form path including a feeding path 15 and the original exhaust path. Consequently, data of the original can be read in a procedure that the original is carried with using most of the form path excepting the fixing passage 18. By miniaturizing and simplifying the structure and exhausting the original to the original exhaust passage 17 without permitting the original to pass through a fixing roller 8, the damage of the original can be prevented and the original and the printed form can be distinguished.

Description

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

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, a copier that can be used as a printer,
There are printers that are connected to an image scanner and print based on data read by the image scanner.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The former has a printing unit and a reading device built into a common housing, and in addition to the drive mechanism that transports paper for printing, there is also a drive mechanism that moves the image reading unit and the document relative to each other. A drive mechanism must be provided to move the device, making the structure complicated and large.

The latter requires the purchase of an image scanner in addition to a printer, which has the disadvantage of increasing the financial burden on the user.

Means for Solving the Problems A rotatable photoreceptor, an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image, and a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image. A transfer section that transfers the toner image on the photoconductor onto paper, a fixing roller that fixes the toner image transferred to the paper, and a paper feed path that guides the paper between the photoconductor and the fixing section. In the electrophotographic apparatus, a document discharge path for passing a document through the document and a fixing path for guiding the paper toward the fixing roller are disposed in the vertical direction on the downstream side of the transfer section; A switching plate is rotatably provided to selectively open and close the entrance of the document discharge path and the entrance of the fixing path, and the output side is directly or indirectly connected to the electrostatic latent image forming means to form an image of the document. An image reading unit that optically reads an image is provided in a paper path including the paper feed path and the document discharge path.

Therefore, the switching plate is operated to close the fixing path and open the document ejection path, and in the process of conveying the document from the paper feed path to the document ejection path, the content of the document is read by the image reading unit, and the switching plate is operated. In the process of closing the document ejection path and opening the fixing path, and rotating the photoreceptor once, the electrostatic latent image forming means forms an electrostatic latent image on the outer periphery of the photoreceptor based on the data read by the image reading unit. Then, this electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device, the toner image on the photoreceptor is transferred by a transfer unit to paper fed from the paper feed path, and the transferred paper is held between fixing rollers and transferred onto the paper. Fixes the toner image. Therefore, the document data is read during the process of conveying the document using most of the paper paths other than the fixing path, thereby reducing the size and simplification of the structure. By discharging the document to the discharge path, it is possible to prevent the document from being damaged and to distinguish between the document and the printed paper.

Further, by connecting the switching plate to an electromagnet, the switching plate is automatically operated.

Furthermore, a fixing path is provided that gradually separates upward from the document ejection path as it goes from the transfer section to the fixing roller, and has a rotatable free end on the transfer section side to selectively open and close the entrance of the document ejection path and the entrance of the fixing path. By providing a switching plate that is movable up and down, when the original discharge path is opened, the free rotation end of the switching plate prevents the original from being conveyed to the fixing path.

Example An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a housing, and the housing 1 includes a rotatable photoconductor 2 driven by a motor (not shown), a charger 3 that charges the outer circumference of the photoconductor 2, and a charger 3 that charges the photoconductor 2 with a beam. An exposure section 4 that scans a light beam, a developing device 6, a transfer charger 7 that is a transfer section, a pair of fixing rollers 8, a cleaning section 10 that has a blade 9 that contacts the outer circumference of the photoconductor 2, and a cleaning section 10 that has a blade 9 that contacts the outer periphery of the photoconductor 2 A lamp 11 is provided which irradiates the entire outer periphery of the lamp with a light beam. Then, the charger 3 and the exposure device 4
The electrostatic latent image forming means 5 is constituted by these.

Further, a cassette case 13 for holding sheets 12 in a stacked state is removably housed in the lower part of the housing 1, and a manual feed section 14 for inserting documents and sheets one by one is provided on the front surface. The sheet feed path 15 starts from the exit of the cassette case 13 and merges at the end of the manual feed section 14 on the way, and connects to the paper feed path 15 that goes between the photoreceptor 2 and the transfer charger 7 and the downstream side of the transfer charger 7. A guide surface 16 is provided that once slopes downward and then slopes upward. Further, a document discharge path 17 extending horizontally from the end of this guide surface 16
and a fixing path 18 located on an extension of the end of the guide surface 16 and gradually moving away from the document discharge path 17 upwardly as it goes toward the fixing roller 8. The transfer charger 7 has a rotation fulcrum 19 on the entrance side of the fixing passage 18.
A switching plate 20 having a rotatable free end on the side is connected to an electromagnet 21 and is provided so as to be movable up and down. The document ejection path 17 includes a document detection lever 22 that rotates in contact with the document, and a switch 2 that is switched by the operation of the document detection lever 22.
3 and a paper discharge roller 24 are provided. Further, on the downstream side of the fixing roller 8, there are provided a paper detection lever 25 that rotates in contact with the paper 12, a switch 26 that is switched by the operation of the paper detection lever 25, and a paper ejection roller 27. .

Furthermore, along the paper feed path 15, paper feed sections 28, 29.
30 and 31 are arranged, and a paper feeding section 32 is also provided downstream of the transfer charger 7. Furthermore, the paper feed path 15
The image reading section 3 is located between the paper feeding sections 30 and 31.
3 is provided.

The image reading section 33 includes an LED 34 that illuminates the document passing through the paper feed path 15, a lens 35 that passes reflected light from the document, and a COD image sensor 36. Also,
The paper feed path 15 includes a detection lever 37 that is located between the image reading section 33 and the paper feed section 30 and rotates in contact with the paper 12 or the document, and a switch 38 that is switched by the operation of the detection lever 37. and is provided.

In such a configuration, when the mode switch (not shown) on the front of the housing 1 is set to copy mode and an original is inserted from the manual feed section 14, the original is directed toward the photoreceptor 2 by the paper feed section 30, 31. Sent.

At this time, the detection lever 37 is pushed by the document and rotates, and the switch 38 detects the operation of the detection lever 37. This detection signal indicates that the document has been detected, and the image reading section 33 starts operating 6, that is, the LED 34 illuminates the document, and the lens 35 forms an image of the document on the COD image sensor 36. This COD image sensor 3
The output of 6 is stored in a memory (not shown) connected to a control circuit (not shown) of exposure section 4. switch 3
The electromagnet 21 is excited by the detection signal 8, and the switching plate 20
rotates counterclockwise around the rotation fulcrum 19. As a result, the switching plate 20 opens the entrance of the document discharge path 17 and closes the entrance of the fixing path 18.

Therefore, the document is sent to the document discharge path 17 by the paper feeders 30, 31, 32, and further discharged onto the tray 39 by the discharge roller 24. During this ejection process, the document detection lever 22 comes into contact with the document and rotates to operate the switch 23. That is, the switch 23 detects passage of the original, and this detection signal causes the electromagnet 21 to be maintained in a non-excited state, and the switching plate 20 rotates clockwise to switch the original to the original ejection path 1.
The inlet of fixing passage 18 is closed and the inlet of fixing passage 18 is opened. Also,
By operating the switch 23, the paper feed sections 28, 29, 30,
31 and 32 rotate, and the paper 12 in the cassette case 13 is pulled out to the paper feeding section 28. And the paper 12 is the photoreceptor 2
When the paper 12 is supplied, the switch 38 detects the passage of the paper 12 by the operation of the detection lever 37, and the printing operation is started based on this detection signal. That is, the photoreceptor 2 begins to rotate, and during this rotation, the charging charger 3 charges the outer circumference of the photoreceptor 2, and the exposure unit 4 applies a beam of light to the charged portion based on the output of the memory that stores the reading data of the original. is scanned to form an electrostatic latent image, the developing device 6 develops this electrostatic latent image, the transfer charger 7 transfers the toner image onto the paper 12, and the fixing roller 8 fixes the transferred image on the paper 12. Then, the paper discharge roller 27 discharges the paper 12 onto the tray 40. On the other hand, the blade 9 wipes away residual toner adhering to the photoreceptor 2, and the lamp 11 exposes the entire outer periphery of the photoreceptor 3 to erase the electrostatic latent image.

In this way, most of the paper path excluding the fixing path 18 can be used to transport the original, and the image of the original can be read in this process, which simplifies the structure and reduces the space for the internal structure. It is possible to achieve miniaturization.

Further, the original is not ejected to the original ejection path 17 and fixed thereon, and when the switching plate 20 is rotated counterclockwise to open the original ejection path 17, the guide surface 16 and the fixing path Since the switching plate 20 blocks the entrance between the
It is possible to reliably prevent the document from being fixed.

This can prevent damage to the original. Also,
It is placed on the tray 39 separately from the printed paper 12.

In addition, by storing data from the image reading unit 33 in the memory and inputting data from an external input device such as a personal computer into the memory, a usage pattern in which other image information is combined with the content of the original and printed out is possible. You can choose both. Furthermore, by installing the image reading section 33 on the downstream side of the photoconductor 2, the data of the document is read downstream of the paper path, and this read signal is directly input to the exposure section 4 to simultaneously print on the subsequent paper 12. be able to.

In the second case, no memory is required.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is configured as described above, when reading the data of the original, the fixing path is closed, the original ejection path is opened, and the image is read by the image reading unit in the process of feeding the original toward the original ejection path. In addition, during printing, the fixing path is opened, and in the process of sending the paper from the paper feed path to the fixing path, the electrostatic latent image forming means is used to form an image on the outside of the photoconductor based on the read data of the image reading section or the print signal. ``An electrostatic latent image is formed on the periphery, developed by a developing device, transferred to paper by a transfer section, and fixed by a fixing roller.In this way,
The document data can be read while the document is being conveyed using most of the paper paths other than the fixing path, which makes it possible to downsize and simplify the structure. By discharging the original to the original discharge path, it is possible to prevent the original from being damaged and to distinguish between the original and the printed paper.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view, and FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged longitudinal side view showing the operation of the switching plate.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A rotatable photoconductor, an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image, and a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image. A transfer section that transfers the toner image on the photoconductor onto paper, a fixing roller that fixes the toner image transferred to the paper, and a paper feed path that guides the paper between the photoconductor and the fixing section. In an electrophotographic device equipped with
A document discharge path for passing a document through the document and a fixing path for guiding the paper toward the fixing roller are disposed in the vertical direction on the downstream side of the transfer section, and an entrance of the document discharge path and an entrance for the document discharge path are provided on the downstream side of the transfer section. an image reading unit rotatably provided with a switching plate that selectively opens and closes the entrance of the fixing passage, and whose output side is directly or indirectly connected to the electrostatic latent image forming means to optically read the image of the document; An electrophotographic apparatus characterized in that: is provided in a paper path including the paper feed path and the document discharge path. 2. A rotatable photoreceptor, an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image, and a toner image on the photoreceptor. In an electrophotographic apparatus, the electrophotographic apparatus includes a transfer unit that transfers the toner image onto a sheet of paper, a fixing roller that fixes the toner image transferred to the paper, and a paper feed path that guides the paper between the photoreceptor and the fixing unit. ,
A document discharge path for passing a document through the document and a fixing path for guiding the paper toward the fixing roller are disposed in the vertical direction on the downstream side of the transfer section, and an entrance of the document discharge path and an entrance for the document discharge path are provided on the downstream side of the transfer section. A switching plate for selectively opening and closing the entrance of the fixing passage is rotatably connected to an electromagnet, and the output side is directly or indirectly connected to the electrostatic latent image forming means to optically convert the image of the document. An electrophotographic apparatus, characterized in that an image reading unit for reading images is provided in a paper path including the paper feed path and the document ejection path. 3. A rotatable photoreceptor, an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image, and a toner image on the photoreceptor. In an electrophotographic apparatus, the electrophotographic apparatus includes a transfer unit that transfers the toner image onto a sheet of paper, a fixing roller that fixes the toner image transferred to the paper, and a paper feed path that guides the paper between the photoreceptor and the fixing unit. ,
A document discharge path for passing a document through the document and a fixing path that gradually separates upward from the document discharge path and guides the paper toward the fixing roller as it goes toward the fixing roller are provided on the downstream side of the transfer section, and the transfer section A switching plate having a rotary free end on the side and selectively opening and closing the inlet of the document discharge path and the inlet of the fixing path is connected to an electromagnet so as to be movable up and down, and the output side directly or indirectly connects the An electrophotographic apparatus, characterized in that an image reading section connected to an electrostatic latent image forming means and optically reading an image of a document is provided in a paper path including the paper feed path and the document discharge path.