JPH0744633B2 - Electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus.

Conventional technology Conventionally, a copying machine that can be used as a printer,
There is a printer connected to the image scanner and adapted to print based on the read data of the image scanner.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The former is one in which a printing unit and a reading device are built in a common housing. In addition to a drive mechanism that conveys paper for printing, the image reading unit and the document are relatively Therefore, a driving mechanism for moving the structure must be provided, which complicates the structure and increases the size.

The latter has the drawback that the user must purchase an image scanner in addition to the printer, which increases the financial burden on the user.

Means for Solving the Problems 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, A transfer unit for transferring the toner image on the photoconductor onto the paper; a fixing roller for fixing the toner image transferred on the paper; and a paper feed path for guiding the paper between the photoconductor and the transfer unit. In the provided electrophotographic apparatus, a document discharge path for passing a document and a fixing path for guiding the sheet toward the fixing roller are arranged in the vertical direction on the downstream side of the transfer section, and the fixing path is provided on the downstream side of the transfer section. A switching plate that selectively opens and closes the entrance of the document discharge path and the entrance of the fixing path is provided, and the image of the document is optically read and the read data is directly or indirectly output to the electrostatic latent image forming means. The image reading unit to the paper feed path and the document discharge path. It is provided in the paper path including and.

As a result, the switching plate is operated to close the fixing path and open the document discharge path, and while the document is being conveyed from the paper feed path to the document discharge path, the content of the document is read by the image reading unit and the switch plate is opened. In the process of operating to close the document discharge path and open the fixing path and rotate the photoconductor once, the electrostatic latent image is formed on the outer periphery of the photoconductor by the electrostatic latent image forming means based on the data read by the image reading unit. The electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device, the toner image on the photoconductor is transferred to the paper supplied from the paper feed path by the transfer unit, and the paper after transfer is sandwiched by the fixing roller to form the paper. Fix the toner image on top. Therefore, the data of the original is read in the process of conveying the original using most of the paper paths other than the fixing path, and thereby the size and simplification of the structure are achieved, and the original is not passed through the fixing roller. By ejecting the
Prevents document pain and distinguishes between documents and printed paper.

In addition, the switching plate is automatically operated by connecting the switching plate to the electromagnet.

Further, a fixing passage is provided which gradually separates upward from the document discharge passage as it goes from the transfer portion to the fixing roller, and has a rotation free end on the transfer portion side to selectively open and close the inlet of the document discharge passage and the inlet of the fixing passage. By arranging the switching plate to be rotatable up and down, the document is prevented from being conveyed to the fixing path on the free end side of the rotation of the switching plate when the document discharge path is opened.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a housing. In the housing 1, a rotatable photoconductor 2 driven by a motor (not shown), a charging charger 3 for charging the outer circumference of the photoconductor 2, and a beam for the photoconductor 2 are provided. An exposure unit 4 that scans a light beam, a developing unit 6, a transfer charger 7 that is a transfer unit, a pair of fixing rollers 8, and a cleaning unit 10 having a blade 9 that contacts the outer circumference of the photoconductor 2, and a photoconductor 2. A lamp 11 for irradiating light rays is provided on the entire outer circumference of the lamp. The charging charger 3 and the exposing device 4 constitute an electrostatic latent image forming means 5.

Further, a cassette case 13 for holding the sheets 12 in a stacked state is detachably accommodated in the lower part of the housing 1, and a front side is provided with a manual insertion portion 14 for inserting a document or sheets one by one. Then, at the outlet of the cassette case 13, the end of the manual portion 14 is merged on the way, and the paper feed path 15 extending between the photoconductor 2 and the transfer charger 7 and the downstream side of the transfer charger 7 are provided. A guide surface that tilts downward once and then tilts upward
16 and are provided. Further, the document discharge path 17 extending horizontally from the end of the guide surface 16 and the document discharge path 17 positioned on the extension line of the end of the guide surface 16 and gradually separated upward from the document discharge path 17 toward the fixing roller 8. The fixing passage 18 is provided. Then, on the entrance side of the fixing passage 18, a rotation fulcrum 19
A switching plate 20 having a rotating free end on the transfer charger 7 side is connected to an electromagnet 21 and is vertically rotatable.
The document discharge path 17 is provided with a document detection lever 22 that rotates in contact with the document, a switch 23 that is switched by the operation of the document detection lever 22, and a discharge roller 24. Further, on the downstream side of the fixing roller 8, a sheet detection lever 25 that comes into contact with the sheet 12 and rotates, a switch 26 that is switched by the operation of the sheet detection lever 25, and a sheet discharge roller 27 are provided. .

Further, the paper feeding units 28, 29, 30, 31 are arranged along the paper feeding path 15, and the paper feeding unit 32 is also provided on the downstream side of the transfer charger 7. Further, the paper feed path 15 has paper feed units 30, 3
An image reading unit 33 located in the middle of 1 is provided. The image reading unit 33 includes an LED 34 that illuminates a document that passes through the paper feed path 15, a lens 35 that transmits reflected light from the document, and a CCD image sensor 36. Further, in the paper feeding path 15, a detection lever 37 located between the image reading unit 33 and the paper feeding unit 30 and rotated by contacting the paper 12 or a document, and the detection lever 37.
A switch 38 that is switched by the operation of 37 is provided.

In such a configuration, when the mode switch (not shown) on the front surface of the housing 1 is set to the copy mode and a document is inserted from the manual insertion section 14, the document is fed by the paper feeding sections 30 and 31 to the photosensitive member 2.
Sent to. At this time, the detection lever 37 is pushed by the document to rotate, and the operation of the detection lever 37 is detected by the switch 38. This detection signal indicates that the document is detected, and the image reading unit 33 starts its operation accordingly. Ie LE
D34 illuminates the document, and the lens 35 forms an image of the document on the CCD image sensor 36. The output of the CCD image sensor 36 is stored in a memory (not shown) connected to a control circuit (not shown) of the exposure section 4. Further, the electromagnet 21 is excited by the detection signal of the switch 38, and the switching plate 20 is rotated by the fulcrum 19
Rotate counterclockwise around. 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 feeding units 30, 31, and 32, and further, the tray 39 by the discharge roller 24.
Is discharged on. During this ejection process, the document detection lever 22
Comes into contact with the original and rotates to operate the switch 23. That is, the switch 23 detects the passage of the document, and the detection signal keeps the electromagnet 21 in the non-excited state, and the switching plate 20
Rotates clockwise to close the entrance of the document discharge path 17 and open the entrance of the fixing path 18. Further, the paper feeding parts 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 are rotated by the operation of the switch 23, and the cassette case 13
The paper 12 is pulled out to the paper feed unit 28. When the paper 12 is supplied to the photoconductor 2, the switch 38 detects the passage of the paper 12 by the operation of the detection lever 37, and the printing operation is started by this detection signal. That is, the photosensitive member 2 starts to rotate, and the charging charger 3 charges the outer periphery of the photosensitive member 2 during this one rotation, and the exposure unit 4 emits a beam of light to the charged portion based on the output of the memory storing the read data of the original. To form an electrostatic latent image, the developing device 6 develops the electrostatic latent image, the transfer charger 7 transfers the toner image onto the sheet 12, and the fixing roller 8 fixes the transferred image on the sheet 12. Output roller 27
Ejects the paper 12 to the toner 40. On the other hand, the blade 9 wipes the residual toner adhering to the photoconductor 2, and the lamp 11 exposes the entire outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 3 to erase the electrostatic latent image.

In this way, the document can be conveyed using most of the paper path except the fixing passage 18, and the image of the document can be read in this process, so that the structure is simplified and the space of the internal structure is reduced. The size can be reduced. Further, the document is not discharged to the document discharge path 17 and fixed, and when the switching plate 20 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction to open the document discharge path 17, the guide surface 16 and the fixing path are fixed. Since the switching plate 20 blocks the space between the entrance and the entrance of 18, the document can be reliably prevented from being fixed. This makes it possible to prevent the original document from being damaged. Further, it is placed on the tray 39 separately from the printed paper 12.

In addition, by storing the data of the image reading unit 33 in a memory and inputting the data of an external input device such as a personal computer into the memory, the content of the document is combined with other image information and printed out. You can also choose. Further, by installing the image reading unit 33 on the downstream side of the photoconductor 2, the data of the original document is read downstream of the paper path, and this read signal is directly input to the exposure unit 4 and simultaneously printed on the succeeding paper 12. be able to. In this case, no memory is needed.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION Since the present invention is configured as described above, when reading the data of a document, the fixing section is closed, the document discharge path is opened, and the image is read by the image reading unit in the process of feeding the document toward the document discharge path. Further, during printing, the fixing passage is opened, and in the process of feeding the paper from the paper feeding path to the fixing passage, the outer periphery of the photoconductor is formed by the electrostatic latent image forming means based on the read data or the print signal of the image reading section. Form an electrostatic latent image on the
This can be developed by a developing device, transferred to a sheet by a transfer unit, and fixed by a fixing roller. In this way, the data of the original is transferred in the process of conveying the original using most of the paper paths other than the fixing path. The document can be read, and thus the size and simplification of the structure can be achieved. Further, by discharging the document to the document discharge path without passing through the fixing roller, it is possible to prevent the document from being damaged and to prevent the document from being damaged. It has an effect that it can be distinguished from a printed sheet.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view, and FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged vertical sectional side view showing the operation of a switching plate. 2 ... photoconductor, 5 ... electrostatic latent image forming means, 6 ... developing device, 7 ... transfer charger (transfer section), 8 ... fixing roller, 12 ... paper, 15 ... paper feed path, 17 ... Document discharge path,
18 ... Fixing passage, 19 ... Rotation fulcrum, 20 ... Switching plate, 33 ...
… Image reading unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A rotatable photoconductor, an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on an outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image, and a photoconductor on the photoconductor. An electronic device including a transfer unit for transferring the toner image of the sheet to a sheet, a fixing roller for fixing the toner image transferred on the sheet, and a sheet feeding path for guiding the sheet between the photoconductor and the transfer unit. In the photographic device, a document discharge path for passing a document and a fixing path for guiding the sheet toward the fixing roller are arranged in the vertical direction on the downstream side of the transfer section, and the document discharge is provided on the downstream side of the transfer section. An image reading device is provided with a switching plate that selectively opens and closes the entrance of the passage and the entrance of the fixing passage, and optically reads the image of the original and outputs the read data directly or indirectly to the electrostatic latent image forming means. Section including a paper feed path and a document discharge path. Electrophotographic apparatus, characterized in that provided in the. 2. 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 photoconductor on the photoconductor. An electronic device including a transfer unit for transferring the toner image of the sheet to a sheet, a fixing roller for fixing the toner image transferred on the sheet, and a sheet feeding path for guiding the sheet between the photoconductor and the transfer unit. In the photographic device, a document discharge path for passing a document and a fixing path for guiding the sheet toward the fixing roller are arranged in the vertical direction on the downstream side of the transfer section, and the document discharge is provided on the downstream side of the transfer section. A switching plate that selectively opens and closes the entrance of the passage and the entrance of the fixing passage is connected to an electromagnet to optically read the image of the original and read the read data directly or indirectly by the electrostatic latent image forming means. The image reading unit that outputs to the paper feed path and the document discharge Electrophotographic apparatus being characterized in that provided in paper path including and. 3. 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 photoconductor on the photoconductor. An electronic device including a transfer unit for transferring the toner image of the sheet to a sheet, a fixing roller for fixing the toner image transferred on the sheet, and a sheet feeding path for guiding the sheet between the photoconductor and the transfer unit. In the photographic device, a fixing passage is provided on the downstream side of the transfer section, and a fixing passage for guiding the sheet toward the fixing roller by gradually separating from the original discharging passage toward the fixing roller and the fixing roller. A switching plate that has a swinging free end on the transfer portion side and selectively opens and closes the entrance of the document discharge path and the entrance of the fixing path is connected to an electromagnet so as to be rotatable up and down. Optically read and read data directly or Electrophotographic apparatus being characterized in that provided in paper path including an image reading portion for outputting to the electrostatic latent image forming means and said paper feed path and the document discharge path.