JP4784785B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  In Patent Document 1, an image forming unit including a plurality of image forming units including a photoconductor, an optical writing unit that performs optical writing on the photoconductor of the image forming unit, and an image formed by the image forming unit are transferred. An intermediate transfer belt, a fixing unit for fixing an unfixed toner image carried on the paper, a discharge unit for discharging the paper on which image formation has been completed to the outside of the apparatus, and a toner to be supplied to each image forming means of the image forming unit. In the color image forming apparatus, the image forming unit includes a stored toner storage unit, an image forming unit including an electrical unit including a plurality of electrical units, and a paper feeding unit that feeds a sheet to be fed to the image forming unit. The image forming means of the image portion is arranged in parallel along the lower side running side of the intermediate transfer belt, and the height of the image forming unit increases as the lower side running side of the intermediate transfer belt goes to the downstream side in the running direction. Color image that is tilted in the direction that the level is lower Forming apparatus is disclosed.

  In Patent Document 2, in an image processing apparatus having a control board, the control board is divided into a first control board and a second control board, and one of the two control boards is placed in an image processing apparatus housing. An image processing apparatus is disclosed in which the other side is disposed perpendicular to the bottom surface and the other is disposed horizontally with respect to the bottom surface of the image processing apparatus housing.

JP 2003-202728 A

JP 2006-154134 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can reduce the density of wirings used for power feeding and reduce the length of the wirings.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of image carriers that respectively hold images, a plurality of developing devices that respectively form images on the plurality of image carriers, and an intermediate transfer member supported by a plurality of support members. A plurality of primary transfer devices for sequentially transferring the images respectively held on the plurality of image holding members to the intermediate transfer member, and transferring the images transferred on the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium. A secondary transfer device, a fixing device that applies heat and pressure to the recording medium onto which the image has been transferred to fix the image on the recording medium, and a discharge device that discharges the recording medium on which the image has been fixed to the outside of the image forming apparatus main body. A recording medium holding unit that holds the discharged recording medium in a stacked state, and a developer removing device that is disposed above the intermediate transfer body and removes the developer from the intermediate transfer body. Along the lower side of the intermediate transfer member. Said plurality of image carriers arranged Te, a first power supply unit disposed below the plurality of image carriers, a second power supply unit disposed above the intermediate transfer member, the second The developer further includes an outside air supply device that forms an air flow in a direction intersecting a moving direction of the intermediate transfer member in a space formed so as to surround the power supply unit, and supplies the outside air to the space. The removing device and the fixing device are image forming devices arranged with the space interposed therebetween .

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the first power supply unit supplies power to at least the plurality of developing devices, respectively, and the second power supply unit supplies power to at least the plurality of primary transfer devices. The image forming apparatus according to 1.

  The present invention according to claim 3 further includes a latent image forming device that is disposed below the plurality of image carriers and forms a latent image on each of the plurality of image carriers, and the first power supply unit includes: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is disposed below the latent image forming apparatus.

  The present invention according to claim 4 is the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second power supply unit is disposed between the intermediate transfer member and the recording medium holding portion.

The present invention according to claim 5 further includes an opening / closing portion that opens and closes with respect to the image forming apparatus main body, wherein the recording medium discharge portion is formed in the opening / closing portion, and the opening / closing portion includes at least the second power source. It claims 1 to 4 for holding the unit and the intermediate transfer member is an image forming apparatus according to any one.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the intermediate transfer member is disposed so as to be inclined so that an end portion on the side where the secondary transfer device is provided is located below an end portion on the opposite side. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 1 to 5 .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, compared to a case where the power supply unit is constituted by a single unit, the density of the wiring used for power feeding is less likely to be generated, and the length of the wiring can be shortened. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can provide a forming apparatus, cool the second power supply, and make it difficult to transfer heat generated from the fixing apparatus to the developer removing apparatus .

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of wirings do not cross each other can be provided.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus capable of utilizing the space below the latent image forming apparatus is provided. be able to.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the first aspect of the present invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the space between the recording medium holding unit and the intermediate transfer member can be utilized. An image forming apparatus that can be used can be provided.

According to the present invention of claim 5 , in addition to the effects of the present invention of any of claims 1 to 4 , maintenance of the second power supply unit and the intermediate transfer member can be easily performed. An image forming apparatus can be provided.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the height of the image forming apparatus as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided.

1 is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which a main opening / closing part is opened / closed with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a photoreceptor unit used in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. The operation of the shutter member included in the photosensitive unit shown in FIG. 4 will be described. FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the shutter member is in the second position, and FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the state in the position of 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a developer removing device used in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a perspective view which shows the belt unit used for the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a second power supply unit used in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating power feeding in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

Next, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 show an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an image forming apparatus main body 12.

  A front-side opening / closing part 18 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 12 so that it can be opened and closed with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12 using a hinge 20. In addition, the main opening / closing portion 26 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 12 so as to be opened and closed with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12 using a hinge 28. An operation unit 32 is attached to the front side of the image forming apparatus main body 12.

For example, the upward surface of the main opening / closing unit 26 corresponding to the upward surface of the image forming apparatus 10 is used as the discharge unit 14 that discharges the sheet on which the image is formed.

  A supply opening / closing part 22 is attached to the front opening / closing part 18 so as to be opened and closed. The supply opening / closing part 22 is normally closed with respect to the front opening / closing part 18 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When a sheet different from a sheet stored in a sheet supply device 510 described later is used, the supply opening / closing part 22 is opened with respect to the front opening / closing part 18.

  The main opening / closing part 26 is normally closed with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12. The main opening / closing part 26 is opened when a photoreceptor unit 200Y, 200M, 200C, 200B, which will be described later, is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12. Prior to opening the main opening / closing portion 26, the front opening / closing portion 18 is attached to the main opening / closing portion 26 in order to prevent a support roll 70, an intermediate transfer belt 62 and the like described later from interfering with the front opening / closing portion 18. Opened to the image forming apparatus main body 12.

  When closing the front opening / closing part 18 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12, the main opening / closing part 26 is closed with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12 prior to closing the front opening / closing part 18. The main opening / closing part 26 is used as a discharge part for discharging a sheet on which an image is formed on the upper surface.

  A sub-opening / closing part 30 is attached to the main opening / closing part 26 so as to be able to open / close with respect to the main opening / closing part 26. The sub opening / closing part 30 can be opened / closed independently of the main opening / closing part 26, and the main opening / closing part 26 is closed with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12 and is open with respect to the main opening / closing part 26. can do. The sub opening / closing unit 30 is opened when all or a part of the developer removing device 350 described later is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12.

  The operation unit 32 includes, for example, a numeric keypad for inputting the number of sheets on which an image is formed, a start button operated when starting image formation, and the like.

  An image forming unit 40 that forms an image on a sheet is provided in the image forming apparatus main body 12. The image forming unit 40 includes, for example, four photoconductor units 200Y, 200M, 200C, and 200K.

  Each of the photoreceptor units 200Y, 200M, 200C, and 200K is used as an image forming structure, and each has a photoreceptor drum 210Y, 210M, 210C, and 210K, and each is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12. can do. The photoconductor units 200Y, 200M, 200C, and 200K are arranged in the order of the photoconductor units 200Y, 200M, 200C, and 200K from the rear side (the right side in FIG. 2) of the image forming apparatus main body 12. Details of the photoreceptor units 200Y, 200M, 200C, and 200K will be described later.

  Each of the photosensitive drums 210Y, 210M, 210C, and 210K is used as an image holding body that holds an image.

  The image forming unit 40 includes an optical writing device 44 used as a latent image forming device. The optical writing device 44 irradiates each of the photosensitive drums 210Y, 210M, 210C, and 210K to form a latent image on the surface of each of the photosensitive drums 210Y, 210M, 210C, and 210K. .

  The image forming unit 40 includes developing devices 46Y, 46M, 46C, and 46K. The developing device 46Y develops the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 210Y using yellow toner stored therein. The developing device 46M develops the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 210M using magenta toner stored therein. The developing device 46C develops the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 210C using cyan toner stored therein. The developing device 46K develops the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 210K using black toner stored therein.

  The image forming unit 40 includes a transfer device 58. The transfer device 58 includes an intermediate transfer belt unit 60 and a secondary transfer device 84. The intermediate transfer belt unit 60 includes an intermediate transfer belt 62.

  The intermediate transfer belt 62 is used as an intermediate transfer body to which an image (toner image) is transferred from the photosensitive drums 210Y, 210M, 210C, and 210K. Further, the intermediate transfer belt 62 is endless and is stretched around the support rolls 64, 66, 68, 70, 72 so as to be able to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. A drive from a motor 90 (see FIG. 7), which will be described later, is transmitted to the support roll 70 via a gear 92 (see FIG. 7), which will be described later, and the support roll 70 is rotated by receiving the drive transmission from the motor 90. The roll 70 transmits drive to the intermediate transfer belt 62.

  In addition, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 includes primary transfer rolls 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K that are used as a primary transfer device. The primary transfer rolls 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K are provided with a yellow toner image, a magenta toner image, a cyan toner image, and a black toner image respectively formed on the surface of the photosensitive drums 210Y, 210M, 210C, and 210K. The intermediate transfer belt 62 is transferred. The intermediate transfer belt unit 60 will be described later.

  The secondary transfer device 84 has a secondary transfer roll 86. The secondary transfer roll 86 further transfers the yellow toner image, magenta toner image, cyan toner image, and black toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 62 to the sheet.

  Further, the transfer device 58 has a developer removing device 350, and the developer removing device 350 has a scraping member 354. A part of the developer removing device 350 can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12 through an opening formed by opening the sub opening / closing portion 30. Details of the developer removing device 350 will be described later.

  Of the members constituting the transfer device 58, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 and the developer removing device 350 are mounted on the main opening / closing part 26. Of the transfer device 58, the secondary transfer roll 86 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 12. Further, in the intermediate transfer belt 62, a portion in contact with the support roll 70 which is an end portion on the side where the secondary transfer device 84 is provided is a portion in contact with a support roll 64 which is an end portion on the opposite side. It is inclined and arranged so as to be positioned below in the direction of gravity.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus main body 12, a fixing device 50 for fixing the toner image transferred onto the sheet by the secondary transfer roll 86 on the sheet is provided. The fixing device 50 includes a heater 51. The fixing device 50 fixes the developer image on the sheet by pressurizing the developer image onto the sheet and applying heat generated by the heater 51.

  A collection container 300 is provided in the image forming apparatus main body 12. In the collection container 300, excess developer discharged from the developing devices 46Y, 46M, 46C, and 46K is collected. The collection container 300 is integrated with the photoconductor unit 200K, for example.

  In addition, a sheet supply device 510 that supplies sheets to the image forming unit 40 is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body 12. The sheet supply apparatus 510 can be pulled out to the front side (left side in FIG. 2) of the image forming apparatus main body 12, and the sheet is replenished in a state where the sheet supply apparatus 510 is pulled out from the image forming apparatus main body 12. .

  The sheet supply apparatus 510 includes a sheet storage container 512 that stores sheets such as plain paper in a stacked state. Further, the sheet supply apparatus 510 includes a transport roll 514 that extracts the uppermost sheet stored in the sheet storage container 512 and transports the extracted sheet toward the image forming unit 40. Further, the sheet supply device 510 has a retard roll 516 that is used to roll a sheet and prevent a plurality of sheets from being conveyed to the image forming unit 40 in a stacked state.

  Further, a conveyance path 530 used for conveying a sheet is formed in the image forming apparatus main body 12. The conveyance path 530 includes a main conveyance path 532, a reverse conveyance path 534, and a sub conveyance path 536.

  The main conveyance path 532 is used for conveying the sheet supplied from the sheet supply apparatus 510 to the image forming unit 40 and discharging the sheet on which the image is formed to the outside of the image forming apparatus main body 12. Along the main conveyance path 532, the conveyance roll 514 and the retard roll 516, the registration roll 542, the secondary transfer roll 86, and the fixing device 50 described above are sequentially arranged from the upstream side in the sheet conveyance direction. And the discharge roll 544 is arrange | positioned.

  The registration roll 542 temporarily stops the leading end portion of the sheet conveyed from the sheet supply device 510 side, and performs secondary transfer of the sheet so that the toner image of each color is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 62. It sends out toward the roll 86.

  The discharge roll 544 discharges the sheet on which the toner of each color is fixed by the fixing device 50 to the outside of the image forming apparatus main body 12.

  The reverse conveyance path 534 is a conveyance path used for reversing and feeding the sheet having the toner image fixed on one surface thereof to the image forming unit 40. For example, two reverse transfer rolls 548 and 548 are arranged along the reverse transfer path 534. In the reverse conveyance path 534, the discharge roll 544 rotates in the reverse direction with the rear end portion of the sheet sandwiched therebetween, so that the sheet is supplied from the rear end side, and the supplied sheet is supplied by the reverse conveyance rollers 548 and 548. It is conveyed to a position upstream of the resist roll 542.

  The sub-transport path 536 is a transport path for supplying the image forming unit 40 with a sheet different from the sheets stored in the sheet supply apparatus 510. A sheet is supplied to the sub-conveying path 536 from the front side of the image forming apparatus main body 12 with the supply opening / closing part 22 opened. A transport roll 552 and a retard roll 554 are provided along the sub-transport path 536. The conveyance roll 552 is supplied to the sub conveyance path 536 and conveys the sheet toward the image forming unit 40. The retard roll 554 is used to roll the sheet supplied to the sub-conveying path 536 and prevent the sheet from being conveyed to the image forming unit 40 in a state where a plurality of sheets are overlapped.

Further, a first power supply unit 410 is provided in the image forming apparatus main body 12.
The first power supply unit 410 has a high voltage power supply circuit and supplies power to, for example, the developing devices 46Y, 46M, 46C, and 46K.

  In the image forming apparatus 10, the second power supply unit 420 is disposed above the intermediate transfer belt 62. The second power supply unit 420 is mounted on the main opening / closing part 26 and supplies power to, for example, the primary transfer rolls 80Y, 80M, 80C, 80K and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the image forming apparatus 10, the intermediate transfer belt 62 is disposed above the photosensitive drums 210 </ b> Y, 210 </ b> M, 210 </ b> C, and 210 </ b> K. In the image forming apparatus 10, the first power supply unit 410 is disposed below the photosensitive drums 210Y, 210M, 210C, and 210K. In the image forming apparatus 10, the second power supply unit 420 is disposed above the intermediate transfer belt 62.

  In the image forming apparatus 10, the optical writing device 44 is disposed below the photosensitive drums 210 </ b> Y, 210 </ b> M, 210 </ b> C, and 210 </ b> K, and the first power supply unit 410 is disposed below the optical writing device 44. Has been placed. In the image forming apparatus 10, the discharge unit 14 is disposed above the intermediate transfer belt 62, and the second power supply unit 420 is disposed in a space formed between the intermediate transfer belt 62 and the discharge unit 14. Has been placed.

  In the image forming apparatus 10, the developer removing device 350 and the fixing device 50 are arranged on the opposite sides of the second power supply unit 420.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the main opening / closing part 26 is opened and closed with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12 and a state in which the photoconductor unit 200 is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the main opening / closing part 26 is opened with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 and the developer removing device 350 of the transfer device 58 and the second power supply unit 420 are main. It moves together with the opening / closing part 26. That is, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60, the developer removing device 350, and the second power supply unit 420 are opened / closed integrally with the main opening / closing portion 26 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12.

  When the main opening / closing part 26, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60, the developer removing device 350, and the second power supply unit 420 are opened with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12, an opening 36 is formed in the image forming apparatus main body 12. . The photoreceptor units 200Y, 200M, 200C, and 200K are attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12 through the openings 36, respectively. The collection container 300 is integrated with the photosensitive unit 200K as described above. For this reason, the collection container 300 is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12 integrally with the photoreceptor unit 200K.

  FIG. 4 shows the photoreceptor unit 200Y. The photoconductor units 200M, 200C, and 200K have the same configuration as the photoconductor unit 200Y, although the developer color used is different, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the photoconductor unit 200Y has a photoconductor unit main body 202Y, and the above-mentioned photoconductor drum 210Y is mounted on the photoconductor unit main body 202Y. A part of the photoreceptor drum 210Y is exposed to the outside of the photoreceptor unit main body 202Y as an exposed part 212Y. The photoreceptor unit main body 202Y is used as a housing that is mounted so that a part of the photoreceptor drum 210Y is exposed.

  A charging device 220Y for uniformly charging the surface of the photoreceptor drum 210Y is mounted in the photoreceptor unit main body 202Y. The charging device 220Y includes a charging roll 222Y that comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 210Y. A latent image is written on the surface of the photosensitive drum 210Y uniformly charged by the charging device 220Y by the optical writing device 44 (see FIG. 1).

  Further, a scraping member 224Y used as a cleaning device is mounted in the photoreceptor unit main body 202Y. The scraping member 224Y scrapes off the yellow toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 210Y after the yellow toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 62 by the primary transfer roll 80Y (see FIG. 1).

  Further, in the photoreceptor unit main body 202Y, a collection chamber 226Y that collects yellow toner scraped off from the surface of the photoreceptor drum 210Y by the scraping member 224Y is provided.

  Further, a shutter member 230Y is attached to the photoconductor unit main body 202Y via a support member 232Y, for example. The shutter member 230Y is used as a moving member. Further, the shutter member 230Y is connected to the link mechanism 480, and the shutter member 230Y is connected to the above-described intermediate transfer belt unit 60 via the link mechanism 480.

FIG. 5 illustrates the operation of the shutter member 230Y. The shutter member 230Y moves between the position shown in FIG. 5A used as the second position and the position shown in FIG. 5B used as the first position.
The second position shown in FIG. 5A is a position where the shutter member 230Y covers the exposed portion 212Y of the photosensitive drum 210Y (hereinafter referred to as a covering position). Further, the first position shown in FIG. 5B is a position where the shutter member 230Y exposes the exposed portion 212Y from the photoconductor unit main body 202 (hereinafter referred to as an exposed position).

  The shutter member 230Y is in the covering position shown in FIG. 5A when the photoconductor unit 200Y is detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12. The shutter member 230Y is shown in FIG. 5A when the photosensitive unit 200Y is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body 12 and the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 is open with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12. It is in a covering position. On the other hand, when the photosensitive member unit 200Y is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body 12 and the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 is closed with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12 in the shutter member 230Y, FIG. It is in the exposure position shown in.

  The shutter member 230Y is connected to the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 by the link mechanism 480 described above, and is linked to an operation in which the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 is opened with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12 by the action of the link mechanism 480. It moves from the exposed position to the covering position. Further, the shutter member 230Y is moved from the position where it is exposed in conjunction with the operation of the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 to be closed with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12 to the position where it is exposed by the action of the link mechanism 480. .

FIG. 6 shows a developer removing device 350.
The developer removing device 350 includes a developer removing device main body 352 fixed to the main opening / closing part 26 (see FIG. 1), and a storage container 370 that can be attached to and detached from the developer removing device main body 352. The developer removing device main body 352 is equipped with the scraping member 354 described above. The developer removing device main body 352 is formed with a passage hole 356 through which the developer passes. A transport member 358 is mounted in the developer removing container main body 352.

  The conveyance member 358 rotates clockwise as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 6, and the developer scraped off from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 62 by the scraping member 354 is stored in the storage container 370 through the passage hole 356. Transport to. Further, a fullness detection sensor 360 for detecting whether or not the storage container 370 is full is attached to the developer removing apparatus main body 352.

  The storage container 370 stores the developer removed from the intermediate transfer belt 62 by the scraping member 354 and transported by the transport member 358. In the storage container 370, a passage hole 372 through which the developer conveyed by the conveyance member 358 passes is formed so as to overlap the passage hole 356. Further, a developer transport member 372 is mounted in the storage container 370. The developer conveying member 372 conveys the developer to the full detection sensor 360 side by rotating clockwise as shown in FIG.

  The storage container 370 is replaced when it becomes full of developer. That is, when the storage container 370 becomes full, the storage container 370 is detached from the developer removing device main body 352 and removed from the opening formed by opening the sub opening / closing part 30 (see FIG. 2), and the developer removal is performed. Another storage container 370 is attached to the apparatus main body 352.

  There is a possibility that the developer stored in the storage container 370 may melt due to the influence of heat or the like generated from the fixing device 50 (see FIG. 1), for example. When the developer melts in the storage container 370, the developer transport member 372 may be fixed by the developer solidified after melting and may not rotate. When the developer transport member 372 is hardened, the developer cannot be recovered even if the storage space remains in the storage container 370.

FIG. 7 shows the intermediate transfer belt unit 60.
As shown in FIG. 7, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 includes a right side plate 102, a left side plate 104, and a connecting member 106 that connects the right side plate 102 and the left side plate 104. The right side plate 102, the left side plate 104, and the connecting member 106 are used as an intermediate transfer member support portion that supports an intermediate transfer belt 62 used as an intermediate transfer member. That is, the above-mentioned support rolls 64, 66, 68, 70, 72 (see FIG. 1) are mounted on the right side plate 102 and the left side plate 104, and the support rolls 64, 66, 68, 70, 72 are interposed via the support rolls 64, 66, 68, 70, 72. The right side plate 102 and the left side plate 104 support the intermediate transfer belt 62.

  The right side plate 102 and the left side plate 104 support the primary transfer rolls 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K (see FIG. 1) described above.

  Further, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 has a gear 92 mounted on the shaft of the support roll 70 (see FIG. 1). Drive is transmitted to the gear 92 from a motor 90 used as a drive source. When the drive is transmitted to the gear 92, the support roll 70 rotates and the drive is transmitted to the intermediate transfer belt 62.

  Further, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 is connected to the above-described link mechanism 480 (see FIG. 4). That is, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 and the shutter members 230Y, 230M, 230C, and 230K are connected via the link mechanism 480. Therefore, as described above, the shutter members 230Y, 230M, 230C, and 230K are opened and closed in conjunction with the opening and closing of the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 12.

  A second power supply unit 420 is attached to the right side plate 102 and the left side plate 104. That is, the power supply board 422 included in the second power supply unit 420 is attached to the right side plate 102 and the left side plate 104.

Further, the intermediate transfer belt unit 60 has an outside air supply device 460.
The outside air supply device 460 is used as a supply device that supplies outside air toward the second power supply unit 420, and includes an intake duct 462, a blower fan 464, and an exhaust duct 466. The intake duct 462 and the blower fan 464 are attached to the left side plate 104, and the exhaust duct 466 is attached to the right side plate 102. In the outside air supply device 460, when the blower fan 464 rotates, outside air is sucked into the image forming apparatus main body 12 (see FIG. 1) via the intake duct 462, and outside the image forming apparatus main body 12 via the exhaust duct 466. Is exhausted.

FIG. 8 shows the second power supply unit 420.
The second power supply unit 420 includes the power supply board 422 as described above. The power supply unit 420 includes a lower plate 424 positioned below the power supply substrate 422, a front plate 426 positioned on the front side, and a rear plate 428 on the rear side. The lower plate 424, the front plate 426, the rear plate 428, and the image forming apparatus main body 12 form a space S so as to surround the power supply substrate 422. Thus, by forming the space S surrounding the power supply board 422, the user cannot touch the power supply board 422, and an accident such as an electric shock is prevented.

  Air is sucked into the space S from the intake duct 462 (see FIG. 7), and the air in the space S is exhausted by the exhaust duct 466 (see FIG. 7), and the space S is directed from the back side toward the near side in FIG. All airflow is generated. Thus, the space S is used as a duct through which air flows.

  When the air flows in the space S, the power supply substrate 422 is cooled, and the intermediate transfer belt 62 moving below the space S is cooled. Further, the generation of an air flow in the space S makes it difficult for heat to be transmitted from one side of the air flow to the other side. Therefore, the heat generated from the fixing device 50 (see FIG. 2) located on the front side of the second power supply unit 420 is difficult to be transmitted to the developer removing device 350 located on the rear side of the second power supply unit 420. Become. For this reason, the developer collected in the developer removing device 350 is hardly melted by heat.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating power feeding in the image forming apparatus 10.
As illustrated in FIG. 9, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a control circuit 600, and the first power supply unit 410 and the second power supply unit 420 are controlled by the control circuit 600.

  The first power supply unit 410 supplies high-voltage power to the developing devices 46Y, 46M, 46C, and 46K, and the secondary transfer device 84. As described above, the first power supply unit 410 mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 12 side includes the developing devices 46Y, 46M, 46C, and 46K that are also mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 12 side, and the secondary. Power is supplied to the transfer device 84.

  The second power supply unit 420 supplies high-voltage power to the primary transfer devices 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K. As described above, the second power supply unit 420 mounted on the main opening / closing portion 26 side supplies power to the primary transfer devices 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K that are also mounted on the main opening / closing portion 26 side. By supplying power as described above, for example, wiring is performed from the first power supply unit 410 to the primary transfer apparatuses 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K so as to penetrate the image forming apparatus main body 12 in the vertical direction and distribute the power. Compared to the case, the wiring used for power feeding is less likely to be dense, and the length of the wiring is shortened.

  As described above, the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image forming apparatus 12 ... Image forming apparatus main body 14 ... Ejection part 26 ... Main opening / closing part 44 ... Optical writing device 46 ... Developing device 50 ... Fixing device 60 ... Intermediate transfer belt unit 62 ... Intermediate transfer belt 80 ... Primary transfer roll 84 ... Secondary transfer device 200 ... Photoconductor unit 210 ... Photoconductor drum 350 ... Developer removal device 410 ... first power supply unit 420 ... second power supply unit 422 ... power supply board 460 ... outside air supply device

Claims (6)

A plurality of image carriers each holding an image;
A plurality of developing devices that respectively form images on the plurality of image carriers;
An intermediate transfer member supported by a plurality of support members;
A plurality of primary transfer devices for sequentially superimposing images respectively held on the plurality of image holding members and transferring the images to the intermediate transfer member;
A secondary transfer device for transferring the image transferred to the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium;
A fixing device for fixing the image on the recording medium by applying heat and pressure to the recording medium on which the image is transferred;
A discharge device for discharging the recording medium on which the image is fixed to the outside of the image forming apparatus main body;
A recording medium holding unit for holding the discharged recording medium in a stacked state;
A developer removing device that is disposed above the intermediate transfer member and removes the developer from the intermediate transfer member;
Have
Arranging the plurality of image carriers along the lower side of the intermediate transfer member;
A first power supply unit disposed below the plurality of image carriers;
A second power supply unit disposed above the intermediate transfer member;
An outside air supply device that forms an air flow in a direction intersecting a moving direction of the intermediate transfer member in a space formed so as to surround the second power supply unit, and supplies outside air to the space;
Further have
The image forming apparatus, wherein the developer removing device and the fixing device are arranged with the space in between .   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first power supply unit supplies power to at least the plurality of developing devices, respectively, and the second power supply unit supplies power to at least the plurality of primary transfer devices. A latent image forming device that is disposed below the plurality of image carriers and forms a latent image on each of the plurality of image carriers;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first power supply unit is disposed below the latent image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second power supply unit is disposed between the intermediate transfer member and the recording medium holding unit. An opening / closing part that opens and closes with respect to the image forming apparatus main body;
The recording medium discharge part is formed in the opening / closing part,
The opening and closing unit, at least the second power supply unit and an image forming apparatus according to claim 1 to 4, wherein any one holds the intermediate transfer body. The intermediate transfer member, the image forming of the secondary transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is tilted to place so that the ends of the side provided are located below the ends of the opposite side apparatus.

Images