JP3973791B2 - Process cartridge for image forming apparatus, image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus including a cleaning device that can move toward and away from an image holder.
[0002]
[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention]
In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile, when a cleaning device capable of moving toward and away from an image carrier (including an intermediate transfer member) is employed, the cleaning device is separated from the image carrier. A space for making (releasing) is necessary, so that a gap is formed between the process cartridge housing and the cleaning device housing. In such a case, it is common to prevent the toner from spilling into the apparatus so that the gap faces upward.
[0003]
However, in the case of an image forming apparatus that conveys transfer paper with the image carrying surface of the transfer paper facing down, it is necessary to provide a fan that sucks the transfer paper upward. Is sucked upward, leaks out from the above-mentioned gap, and causes the conveyance guide surface to become dirty and causes the back surface of the transfer paper to become dirty.
[0004]
In order to close the gap between the process cartridge housing and the cleaning device housing, an elastic member such as a urethane foam material is generally used, but this is a load for the releasing operation of the cleaning device. Therefore, it cannot be adopted unless there is a sufficient operating capacity of the release mechanism. Therefore, it is not an appropriate means, and it has been desired to provide a means for closing the gap that improves this point.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and easily closes the gap between the process cartridge casing and the cleaning device, prevents toner from scattering from the process cartridge into the machine, and performs cleaning. An object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus having a structure that can prevent an excessive load from being applied when the apparatus is released.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is detachable from an apparatus main body, at least an image carrier, and a cleaning that can move toward and away from the image carrier. in the process cartridge of an image forming apparatus including an apparatus, one end is fixed to the process cartridge housing, resiliently have a abutted flexible sheet was at the other end to the cleaning device housing, and the process cartridge housing the gap between the cleaning device housing wherein the Rukoto Do occlude in the flexible sheet.
[0007]
In order to achieve the above object, a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus according to claim 2 includes at least an image carrier and a cleaning device that can move toward and away from the image carrier. in the process cartridge of the image forming apparatus, one end is fixed to the cleaning device housing, resiliently have a abutted flexible sheet was at the other end to the process cartridge housing, the process cartridge housing and the cleaning device the gap between the housing and wherein the Rukoto Do occlude in the flexible sheet.
[0008]
Imaging equipment according to claim 3, in order to achieve the above object, it is characterized in that it comprises a process cartridge of the image forming apparatus 請 Motomeko 1 or 2.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a color image forming apparatus that is an object of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a flexible belt-shaped photosensitive member (hereinafter referred to as a photosensitive belt) which is a belt-shaped image carrier, and this photosensitive belt 1 is provided between rotating rollers 2 and 3. Is driven in the direction of arrow A (clockwise) in the figure. In the figure, reference numeral 4 denotes a charging charger as charging means for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive belt 1, and 5 denotes a laser writing system unit as electrostatic image exposure means. In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes a color developing apparatus in which four developing devices having yellow, magenta, cyan, and black developers (toners) are integrally formed.
[0010]
Further, in the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes an intermediate transfer belt as an intermediate transfer member. This intermediate transfer belt 10 is provided between the rotation rollers 11 and 12, and is driven in the direction of arrow B (reverse to the figure) by the rotational drive of the rotation roller 11. (Clockwise). The photosensitive belt 1 and the intermediate transfer belt 10 are in contact with each other by a rotating roller 3 portion of the photosensitive belt 1, and a conductive bias roller 13 is provided on the intermediate transfer belt 10 side of the contact portion. The back surface of the transfer belt 10 is in contact under predetermined conditions.
[0011]
In the figure, reference numeral 15 denotes a cleaning device including a cleaning blade or the like that is always in contact with the photosensitive belt 1 and cleans the toner on the photosensitive belt 1, 15 a is a waste toner collecting device, and 16 is a waste toner collecting device. In the cleaning device, the cleaning blade 16a is held at a position separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 during the image forming operation, and is brought into contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 after the formed image is transferred onto the transfer paper 17a.
[0012]
The photosensitive belt 1, the charger 4, the intermediate transfer belt 10, and the cleaning devices 15 and 16 are integrally configured as a process cartridge 31, and the waste toner collecting device 15a is replaced with the process cartridge 31. Incorporated as possible. The case exterior portion on the registration roller 20b side of the process cartridge 31 also has a function as a paper conveyance guide.
[0013]
An image forming operation of this color image forming apparatus will be described.
After the photosensitive belt 1 is uniformly charged by the charging charger 4, the laser writing system unit 5 performs scanning exposure based on image information to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive belt 1. The image information to be exposed is monochromatic image information obtained by decomposing a desired full-color image into yellow, cyan, magenta and black color information, and a laser beam L generated by a semiconductor laser (not shown) based on this information is obtained. Scanning and optical path adjustment are performed by an optical device (not shown).
[0014]
The electrostatic latent image formed here is developed in a single color with a predetermined yellow, cyan, magenta and black toner, respectively, by the rotary developing device 6 to sequentially form each color image on the photosensitive belt 1. Each single color image formed on the photosensitive belt 1 is yellow, cyan, and yellow on an intermediate transfer belt 10 that rotates in the direction of arrow B in the drawing in synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive belt 1 in the direction of arrow A in the drawing. The magenta and black single colors are sequentially transferred in a superimposed manner by a predetermined transfer bias applied to the bias roller 13. The yellow, cyan, magenta, and black images superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 10 are conveyed from the sheet feeding cassette 17 to the transfer section through the sheet feeding roller 18, the pair of conveying rollers 19a and 19b, and the pair of registration rollers 20a and 20b. The transfer roller 14 performs batch transfer onto the transfer paper 17a. After the transfer, the transfer paper 17a is fixed by the fixing device 80 to complete a full-color image, and is discharged to the paper discharge stack unit 82 through the paper discharge roller pair 81a and 81b.
[0015]
Waste toner scraped off from the intermediate transfer belt 10 by the cleaning blade 16a is transported toward the front side of the drawing by an auger 16b provided in the cleaning device 16, and further transported on the front side surface of the process cartridge 31 (not shown). Is conveyed to the waste toner collecting device 15a by the unit. Note that the life of the process cartridge 31 can be extended by replacing the process cartridge 31 when a predetermined amount or more of the waste toner is stored in the waste toner collecting device 15a.
[0016]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2 has a main body frame 9 that is a non-moving part housing and a front frame 8 that is a front housing that enables the transfer path of the transfer paper 17a to be opened. The sheet cassette 17 is disposed at the lower part of the main body frame 9, the color developing device 6 and the process cartridge 31 are disposed so as to be replaceable, and the fixing device 80 is disposed above the cassette 7. A paper discharge stack portion 82 is formed on the paper.
[0017]
The front frame 8 is supported so as to be openable and closable around a rotation support shaft 9a (in the illustrated example, the axis of rotation of the rotation roller 12 is coincident) provided on the main body frame 9. 1 is held in a closed state with respect to the main body frame 9 as shown in FIG.
[0018]
When a jam of the transfer paper 17a occurs in the transfer paper transport path, the lock mechanism (not shown) is released and the front frame 8 is opened as shown in FIG. The front frame 8 holds a transfer roller 19a, a registration roller 20a, a transfer roller 14 and the like that constitute a part of the transfer paper transfer path, and the transfer paper transfer path is exposed by opening the front frame 8. Jam can be handled easily. At this time, other image forming units do not move, and there is no problem due to scattering or leakage of toner.
[0019]
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of an embodiment of the process cartridge of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and shows an example applied to the cleaning device 16 of the intermediate transfer belt 10 of FIGS. The cleaning device 16 is brought into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 10 around a rotating shaft 16d by a pressure spring (not shown), and during the formation of each color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 10, this is also shown by a release means (not shown). It rotates to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line and retracts, and after the transfer to the transfer paper is completed, it contacts the intermediate transfer belt 10 to clean the transfer residual toner on the belt.
[0020]
When the cleaning device 16 is configured to contact and separate from the intermediate transfer belt 10 as described above, a gap must be provided between the housing 31 a of the process cartridge 31 and the case 16 c of the cleaning device 16 as illustrated. In the image forming apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, a suction fan 41 is provided as an auxiliary to the conveyance from the transfer roller 14 to the fixing roller pair 80a and 80b in order to convey the transfer sheet with the image surface facing downward. For this reason, waste toner is easily sucked from the gap between the housing 31a of the process cartridge 31 and the case 16c of the cleaning device 16, and the lower surface of the case of the suction fan 41 that also serves as a conveyance guide surface is dirty, and the back surface of the transfer paper is thereby dirty It will end up.
[0021]
Therefore, in the present embodiment, a flexible dustproof sheet 51 is provided in the gap between the casing 31a of the process cartridge 31 and the case 16c of the cleaning device 16. The dustproof sheet 51 can employ, for example, a PET film having a thickness of about 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, one end is fixed to the case 16 c of the cleaning device 16, and the other end is elastically attached to the upper surface of the casing 31 a of the process cartridge 31. Are in contact with each other. For this reason, even when the cleaning device 16 moves to the retracted position, the dustproof sheet 51 moves so as to slide on the upper surface of the housing 31a of the process cartridge 31 while having a bend, so that the toner is sucked from the gap. Can be prevented. Since the dustproof sheet 51 is thin and flexible, no extra load is applied when the cleaning device 16 is released.
[0022]
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of another embodiment of the process cartridge of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The dustproof sheet 51 of this embodiment has one end fixed to the lower part of the case 16 c of the cleaning device 16 and the other end attached to the inner wall surface of the housing 31 a of the process cartridge 31. When the cleaning device 16 is released, the tip of the dust-proof sheet 51 moves while rubbing the inner wall surface of the housing 31a of the process cartridge 31, and as in the previous embodiment, the suction of toner from the gap can be prevented. Further, no extra load is applied when the cleaning device 16 is released.
[0023]
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of still another embodiment of the process cartridge of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In the dustproof sheet 51 of this embodiment, one end is fixed to the casing 31a of the process cartridge 31, and the other end is bent and brought into contact with the case 16c of the cleaning device 16. When the cleaning device 16 is released, the tip of the dust-proof sheet 51 moves while the surface of the case 16c slides. This also prevents toner from being sucked from the gap as in the previous embodiment. Sometimes there is no extra load.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
In the process cartridge of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, as described above, a flexible sheet in which a gap between the process cartridge casing and the cleaning device is fixed to one of them is elastically bent to the other. Since the sealing is performed while abutting, the toner is prevented from scattering from the process cartridge into the image forming apparatus even if there is an air flow by a suction fan or the like, and the back surface of the transfer paper can be prevented from being stained. Further, since the contact pressure of the flexible sheet can be set to a very small value as compared with the case where an elastic body such as a sponge is used, an extra load is not applied when the cleaning device is released, and the release mechanism There is an effect that the enlargement can be prevented and the cost can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a color image forming apparatus that is an object of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view of the color image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 with a front frame opened.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of an embodiment of a process cartridge of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of another embodiment of the process cartridge of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of still another embodiment of the process cartridge of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photoconductor belt 2, 3 Rotating roller 4 Charging charger 5 Laser writing system unit 6 Color developing device 8 Front frame 9 Main body frame 9a Rotating support shaft 10 Intermediate transfer belt 11, 12 Rotating roller 13, Bias roller 14 Transfer roller 15 Cleaning Device 15a Waste toner collecting device 16 Intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 16a Cleaning blade 16b Auger 16c Cleaning device case 16d Rotating shaft 17 Paper feed cassette 17a Transfer paper 18 Paper feed rollers 19a and 19b Transport roller pair 20a and 20b Registration roller pair 31 Process Cartridge 31a Process Cartridge 41 Suction Fan 51 Dustproof Sheet 80 Fixing Device 80a, 80b Fixing Roller Pair 81a, 81b Paper Discharge Roller Pair 82 Paper Discharge Stack Unit

Claims (3)

In a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus that includes at least an image carrier and a cleaning device that can move toward and away from the image carrier, the first end is fixed to the process cartridge housing, and the other end is resiliently have a abutted flexible sheet was a cleaning apparatus housing, characterized Rukoto Do block the gap between the process cartridge housing and the cleaning device housing with the flexible sheet A process cartridge of the image forming apparatus. In a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus that includes at least an image carrier and a cleaning device that can move toward and away from the image carrier, the first end is fixed to the cleaning device housing, and the other end is resiliently have a abutted flexible sheet was in the process cartridge casing, characterized Rukoto Do block the gap between the process cartridge housing and the cleaning device housing with the flexible sheet A process cartridge of the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus characterized by including a process cartridge 請 Motomeko 1 or 2 of the image forming apparatus.

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