JPH0429180A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the stains in the inside of a device and in a room, and the stain of a hand and to miniaturize this device by providing an exhausting means leading high temperature atmosphere in the vicinity of a thermal fixing unit so as to heat a recovery pack. CONSTITUTION:The exhausting means 72 is composed of a fan 78 exhausting the high temperature atmosphere in the vicinity of the thermal fixing unit 46 in the direction of the arrow (a), a cover 79 arranged at a position to cover the surrounding of an attached recovery pack 71, an upper cover, and an exhausting path 81 connecting the bottom part of the cover 79 with the fan 78. Then, the temperature of atmosphere in the vicinity of the thermal fixing unit 46 is made high when the device is operated, heat air passes through the exhausting path 81 by the fan 78 and is sent to a hermetically closed space between the cover 79 and the recovery pack 71. Therefore, the recovery pack 71 is heated by the heating air, and toner powder sent and deposited inside the recovery pack 71 is melted, and solidified when the operation of the device is stopped. Thus, the leakage of the toner powder when the recovery pack is exchanged is prevented, and the device is also miniaturized.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Laser printer 9 Regarding image forming devices such as facsimile machines and copying machines, one-man operation inside the device or indoors due to toner spilling when replacing the collection pack that stores toner discharged from the cleaner. In order to eliminate dirt on the image carrier and to make the device more compact, the developer is equipped with a cleaner that removes the residual developer on the image carrier and discharges it into a removable collection pack, and a cleaner that removes the residual developer on the image carrier and discharges it into a removable collection pack. The image forming apparatus includes a thermal fixing device for fixing a toner image, which is provided with exhaust means for guiding a high-temperature atmosphere near the thermal fixing device so as to heat the collection bank.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using a laser printer, facsimile, copying machine, or the like.

In an electrophotographic apparatus, residual developer such as toner that has not been transferred on an image carrier is removed by a cleaner in order to eliminate any influence on subsequent image formation. The developer such as the collected waste toner is a powder, which is difficult to handle and often contaminates the surrounding area.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the general structure of a conventional laser printer (electrophotographic device), and the laser printer includes a housing 40. As shown in FIG. The laser printer includes a recording paper feeding section 42 provided on the bottom side of the housing 40, a recording section 44 and a fixing section 46 provided inside the housing 40, and one side wall side of the housing 40 as main components. The recording paper ejecting section 48 is incorporated in the recording paper ejecting section 48.

The recording paper feeding unit 42 includes a paper feed tray 4 that stores recording paper.
2a is detachably arranged.

A photosensitive drum (image carrier) 50 is arranged in the recording section 44, and a charger 52. Toner developer 54. A toner transfer device 56, a static eliminator 57, and a cleaner 58 are provided.

The recording section 44 also includes an optical unit 60 arranged above the housing 40. The developing device 54 includes a developing roller 54a that contains two-component toner and a built-in magnet.
, a paddle roller 54b, a doctor blade 54c, a flow path plate 54d, and a toner replenisher 54e. The cleaner 58 includes a fur brush 58a, a scraper 58b, and a discharge screw 58c.

The fixing unit (thermal fixing device) 46 includes a heat roller 46a, a backup roller 46b that is in pressure contact with the heat roller 46a, and a separating claw 4.
6c.

During recording, the photosensitive drum 50 is rotated in the direction of the arrow to form a toner image thereon. This toner image formation is
The surface of the drum is uniformly charged by a charger 52, and an electrostatic latent image is formed by exposing the drum surface in a predetermined pattern using an optical unit 60 using a laser, and this is developed by a developer 54. It will be done. On the other hand, the recording paper in the paper feed tray 42a is picked up by a picking roller 42b, conveyed along a paper guide 42d by a roller 42c, and temporarily stopped by a standby roller 42e. The recording material is fed into the recording section 44 by the standby roller 42e at the same time. The toner image on the photosensitive drum 50 is transferred by the transfer device 56 to the recording paper fed in this way. Thereafter, the recording paper is guided by the paper guide 61 and sent between the heat roller 46a and the backup roller 46b of the fixing section 46, where the toner image is fixed. The recording paper that has been fixed is guided by a paper guide 48a of the recording paper discharge section 48, conveyed to rollers 48b, 48c, and 48d, and discharged above the housing 40.

During these recordings, the inside of the housing 40 is at a high temperature especially due to the use of the heat fixing device, so the inside is cooled down by the exhaust fan 62. That is, the exhaust fan 62 is attached to the side wall of the housing 40 and generates forced ventilation within the housing 40 to suppress an increase in internal temperature. Specifically, the ozone-containing air around the charger 52 is guided to the exhaust fan 62 side by the exhaust path section 64a, and the ozone-containing air from the toner transfer device 56 is guided to the exhaust fan 62 side by the exhaust path section 64b. Before the air reaches the exhaust fan 62, it is mixed with high-temperature, high-humidity air from the fixing unit 46 passing through the exhaust path 66, thereby reducing the ozone component of the ozone-containing air. Laser printer is cold.

When used in a low humidity environment, the amount of ozone generated by the charger 52 and toner transfer device 56 is relatively large;
The osol filter 82 serves to remove this ozone.

Furthermore, after the transfer, the surface of the photosensitive drum 50 is neutralized by a static eliminator 57, and then the residual toner on the photosensitive drum 50 is removed by a fur brush 58a of the cleaner 58. The removed residual toner is conveyed to the right by a discharge screw 58c, as shown in FIG.
and is discharged into a bottle-shaped collection pack 58e. The collection pack 58e is provided on the lower frame of the housing 40, and the cleaner 58 is provided on the upper frame, and the collection pack 58e can be easily collected by opening the upper frame. In this case, after collection, a new collection pack is attached, and the old collection pack is placed in a disposal bag and discarded.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional toner collection method as described above, when the collection bottle is replaced, powdered collected developer leaks from the bottle and the like, staining the inside of the device and the room, and staining the operator's hands, which is a problem. Furthermore, since it is stored as a powder in a bottle, the volume is bulky, which poses an issue in miniaturizing the device.

The present invention solves the problems caused by toner leaking inside the device when replacing the collection pack that stores the toner discharged from the cleaner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus which can eliminate dirt from a single person's hands indoors and can realize miniaturization of the apparatus.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a cleaner that removes residual developer on an image carrier and discharges it into a removable collection pack, and a cleaner that fixes the toner image transferred from the image carrier to recording paper. In the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus is provided with an exhaust means for guiding a high temperature atmosphere near the heat fixing device so as to heat the collection pack.

[For production]

The residual developer discharged into the collection pack is heated and melted by the high temperature atmosphere introduced around the collection pack,
It solidifies when the device stops operating.

Therefore, when replacing the collection pack, the powder toner does not come into direct contact with the operator or the room air, eliminating contamination.

Furthermore, since the powder is melted and solidified, the collection bank can be small, making it easy to downsize the device.

(Example) The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the main part structure of the electrophotographic apparatus of this example (Fig. 1 (a) is a plan view, Fig. 1 0) is a side view), and Fig. 2 shows an outline of the structure of the electrophotographic apparatus. The side view and FIG. 3 are explanatory diagrams of how to attach the collection pack, and in the figure, 71 is the collection pack, and 72 is an exhaust means. Note that the same reference numerals are used for constituent members common to those in the past.

The collection pack 71 is located at the outlet 58d (fifth) of the cleaner 58.
It is removably connected via a connector 74 to an inclined discharge path 73 connected to a drain (see figure), and is removably connected to an exhaust path 75 via a connector 76. 77 is a deodorizing filter attached to the collection pack 71.

The exhaust means 72 removes the high temperature atmosphere near the heat fixing device 46 from the first
A fan 78 that exhausts air in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 81.

The collection pack 71 connected to the exhaust path 73.75 by the connector 74.76 and installed is attached to the bank fixing member 82.8.
3 and is positioned at a predetermined position within the cover 79. By attaching the upper lid 80 to the cover 79, a closed space through which hot air flows is formed around the recovery pack 71.

A deodorizing filter 84 is attached to the upper part of the cover 79, and an exhaust path 85 is connected to this part.

When the apparatus is in operation, the atmosphere near the heat fixing device 46 becomes high temperature, and the hot air is sent by the fan 78 through the exhaust path 81 to the closed space between the cover 79 and the collection pack 71. The collection pack 71 is heated by this hot air, and the cleaner 58
The toner powder that is sent from the toner through the discharge path 73 into the collection pack 71 and deposited is melted by this heating. The molten toner solidifies when the device stops operating. Therefore, leakage of toner powder, which has conventionally been a problem when replacing the collection bank, is eliminated, and contamination can be eliminated. Furthermore, since the volume of the melted and solidified toner is small, it is easy to downsize the apparatus. Note that the collection pack can be replaced easily by operating the connectors 74 and 76.

During this heating, odor is generated inside the collection pack 71, but this is removed by the deodorizing filter 77, and odor-free exhaust gas passes through the exhaust path 75 and reaches the exhaust path 6 above the heat fixing device 46.
6 (see Figure 2). In addition, a deodorizing filter 8 removes bad odors from the hot air supplied from the heat fixing device 46 to the closed space.
4, odor-free exhaust gas is discharged through an exhaust passage 85 to an exhaust passage 66. The exhaust gas discharged into the exhaust path 66 is exhausted to the outside by the exhaust fan 62.

Note that if a heat insulating material (not shown) is wrapped around the outside of the cover 79, thermal efficiency will be improved.

Furthermore, in the above explanation, an example was described in which the collection pack is heated from the surroundings, but a collection pack with a hole in the center is used, and the collection pack is heated by the hot air flowing through the exhaust path passing through the hole. You can also do that.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the powder toner does not come into direct contact with the operator or the indoor air, thereby eliminating contamination. Furthermore, since the powder is melted and solidified, it is easy to downsize the device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1(a) and (b) are structural explanatory diagrams of main parts of an electrophotographic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a side view showing an outline of the structure of the electrophotographic apparatus; FIG. , an explanatory diagram of how to install a collection pack, FIG. 4 is a side view showing an outline of the structure of a conventional laser printer, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of how to collect waste developer from a conventional cleaner. 50 is an image carrier, 58 is a cleaner, 71 is a collection pack, and 72 is an exhaust means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A cleaner (58) for removing residual developer on the image carrier and discharging it into a removable collection pack (71), and fixing the toner image transferred from the image carrier to recording paper. The image forming apparatus includes a heat fixing device (46), and an exhaust means (72) is provided to guide a high temperature atmosphere near the heat fixing device (46) so as to heat the collection pack (71). An image forming device characterized by: