JPH03257477A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely remove paper powder caused in the case of feeding a paper- like medium by providing a means for removing the paper powder caused from the paper-like medium and a means for storing the paper powder in a conveying path from a separation means to a device main body. CONSTITUTION:When the paper-like media A are separated to each one by the action of a separation roller 54 becomes the media A can not be separated by a separation plate 53 to get in a double feeding state, the paper powder adhering to the surface of the medium A is fed to an aligning roller 55 with the medium A and aheres to the outer periphery of the roller 55. The paper powder is made to drop by a fur brush roller 62's patting and stored in a 2nd dish-like substance 64 through a 1st dish-like substance 63 and a 'Mylar(R)' plate 65. The paper powder caused by the separating action of the medium A is removed and collected before it gets into the device main body, thereby eliminating the factor of an adverse effect on an image forming action and stabilizing image quality.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer or an electronic copying machine, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer or an electronic copying machine. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that improves the processing of paper dust generated from media.

(Prior Art) In a paper feeding device in an image forming apparatus, conventionally, when feeding paper P, a separation roller king 01 is rotationally driven in the conveying direction as shown in FIG. A pressure roller 102 in pressure contact with a separation roller 101 is fixed, and the friction between the pressure roller 102 and the paper P separates, for example, two sheets of paper P so that only one sheet of paper P is used for image formation. There is also one in which the pressing roller 102 is reversely rotated with respect to the separating roller 101.

In these cases, paper dust is generated due to frictional contact between the paper P and the pressure roller 102, so conventionally, a bristle brush 103 has been disposed near the pressure roller to remove paper dust.

However, using only such a bristle brush ↑03 cannot sufficiently remove and collect paper dust, and therefore, paper dust that cannot be removed may enter the main body of the image forming apparatus through the transport path R of the paper P. , there was a problem that it adversely affected image formation.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of reliably removing paper dust generated during feeding of a paper-like medium and forming an image with stable image quality. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can perform the following steps and also eliminate the causes of failure.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In the present invention, a paper-like medium for image formation is fed from a paper feeding means, separated sheet by sheet by a separating means, and transported through a conveyance path into an apparatus main body. In an image forming apparatus that is carried into a storage medium and used for image formation, a paper dust removing means for removing paper dust generated from the paper-like medium is provided in a conveyance path from the separation means to the apparatus main body, and a paper dust removing means is provided by the paper dust removing means. The apparatus is equipped with a paper dust storage means for storing the removed paper dust.

(Function) In the apparatus configured as described above, the paper-like medium fed from the paper feeding means is separated into sheets by the separating means, and further sent to the main body of the apparatus via the conveyance path to be used for image formation. At this time, the paper dust generated during the separation operation is removed from the paper-like medium or its surrounding area by the paper dust removal means, and is further stored in the paper dust storage means. As a result, the paper-like medium sent to the apparatus main body is not accompanied by paper dust, and there is no possibility of paper dust entering into the apparatus main body.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a laser printer as an image forming device, and this laser printer 1 is attached to a printer main body 5 placed on a multi-cassette feeder 2 and a rear side of this printer main body 5 in FIG. The envelope feeder 3 is provided as a paper feeding device.

The upper rear part of the printer main body 5 is raised one step higher,
A recess 6 is formed in the center of the upper surface as a paper discharge section. A paper output tray 8 movably supported by a jogger 7 is installed in the recess 6, and an operation panel display section 9 and an operation panel switch section 10 are installed on the right side of the recess 6, and three Two IC card insertion slots 11 are arranged respectively.

Furthermore, a paper ejection tray 12 is attached to the front of the printer main body 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, inside the printer main body 5, a drum-shaped photoreceptor 15 as an image carrier is provided approximately at the center, and a charging device 16 is provided around the drum-shaped photoreceptor 15.
Laser optical system 17. Developing device 18 as a developing means. Transfer device 19. Peeling device 20. A cleaning device 21 and a static eliminator 22 as cleaner means are arranged in this order.

Furthermore, an image support transport path 24 is formed inside the printer body 5 and extends forward through an image transfer section 23 between the photoreceptor 15 and the transfer device 19, and is housed at the bottom of the printer body 5. The paper P1 is automatically fed from the paper feed cassette 25 and the paper feed cassettes 26 and 27 of the multi-cassette feeder 2 via the paper feed roller 28 and the transfer roller 29, respectively, and from the envelope feeder 3. An envelope A, which is a type of paper-like medium that is automatically supplied, is guided to the image transfer section 23.

Further, an aligning roller pair 30 is disposed on the upstream side of the image transfer section 23 of the image support transport path 24, and a fixing device 31. Paper ejection selector 32 and paper ejection roller pair 3
3 is placed.

Incidentally, on the terminal end side of the image support conveying path 24, there is a branch provided with a pair of paper ejection rollers 34 to guide the sheets P, envelopes A, etc. sorted by the paper ejection selector 32 to the recess 6 serving as a paper ejection section. A conveyance path 35 is formed.

In Figure 1, 40 is the lower cover, 41 is the front cover, 4
2 is the upper cover, 43 is the right cover (door).

44 is the left cover, 45 is the right cover opening/closing lever.

46 is a lever for opening and closing the upper unit, and 47, 48, 49, . . . shown in FIG. 2 are control boards constituting a control section.

In the image forming operation, the photoreceptor 15 is driven and uniformly charged by the charging device 16.
Next, the laser optical system 17 performs exposure on the photoreceptor 15 in accordance with the image signal to form an electrostatic latent image. Next, the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 6 is developed by a developing device 18 using a two-component developer consisting of toner a and carrier b, and is sent to the image transfer section 23 side as a developer image. It has become.

Meanwhile, in synchronization with this developer image forming operation, the paper feed cassette 2
The paper P1 selectively taken out from 5, 26, 27 or the envelope A fed from the envelope feeder 3 is fed through the aligning roller pair 30, and the developer image previously formed on the photoreceptor 15 is The image is transferred onto paper P or envelope A by the action of transfer device 19. Then, the paper P or the envelope A is peeled off from the photoreceptor 15 by the peeling device 20, passes through the image support conveying path 24, and is sent to the fixing device 31. After the developer image is fused and fixed on the paper P or envelope A, the ejection direction is sorted by the ejection selector 32 and ejected onto the upper paper ejection tray 8 or the front paper ejection tray 12. ing.

Here, regarding the envelope feeder 3, FIG.
This will be explained in further detail with reference to FIG.

This envelope feeder 3 includes a storage section 51 that stores envelopes A in a stacked arrangement, a kick roller 52 that carries out the envelopes A arranged at the lower opening of this storage section 51, and a storage section 5.
1, a resilient separation plate 53 made of felt, mylar, etc. is attached to the lower end corner in a substantially vertical arrangement; and separation plate 52.
A separation roller 54 disposed near the envelope A for transporting the envelopes one by one while preventing double feeding; an aligning roller 55 disposed at a constant interval on the left side of the separation roller 54 in FIG. 3; A mid roller 56 disposed further to the left of the roller 55, and a guide plate 58a forming a conveyance path R from the separating plate 53 to the outlet 57.
, 58b, 59a.

59b, and a paper dust removing means 60 facing the conveyance path R.
and 1st. Second paper powder storage means 61A.

61B.

The paper dust removing means 60 includes the aligning roller 55
A bristle brush roller 62 is brought into contact with the outer periphery of the bristle brush roller 62.

The first paper dust storage means 61A is constructed by placing a first dish-shaped body 63 with an opening on the bristle brush roller 62 side on the guide plate 58a, and the second paper dust storage means 61B is A flat second plate-shaped body 64 is placed on the guide plate 59a, and a Mylar plate 65 that slides on the aligning roller 55 is attached to the side piece of the aligning roller 55 of the second plate-shaped body 64. It is composed of:

FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) show the conveyance operation of envelope A by the separation roller 54. FIG.

The upper roller 54a of this separation roller 54 receives rotational force from a spring clutch and a drive motor (not shown), and the lower roller 54b receives rotational force from a drive motor (not shown).

Then, when feeding one envelope A as shown in FIG. Torque f is applied by the clutch.

On the other hand, when multiple envelopes A are fed as shown in FIG. is applied to envelope A, thereby,
Only the lower envelope A is separated and conveyed one by one.

That is, when the frictional force between the envelopes A is R2 and the conveyance force in the conveyance direction of the conveyance path R is F, F>f.

The relationship f≦R is established.

Next, the operation of the laser printer 1 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described, mainly with reference to the case where envelopes A are fed from the envelope feeder 3 into the printer main body 5.

The envelopes A stored in the storage section 51 are sequentially sent to the separation plate 53 side by a kick roller 52 starting from the lowest one, and are separated by the separation plate 53 and sent to the separation roller 54 side. At this time, the envelopes A that cannot be separated by the separation plate 53 and are in a double-feed state are transferred to the separation roller 53 shown in FIG. 4(b).
With this action, the paper is separated into pieces. During such a separation operation, paper dust adheres to the surface of the envelope A and is sent together with the envelope A to the aligning roller 55.
Paper dust adheres to the outer periphery of the plate, but this paper dust is knocked off by the bristle brush roller 62 and is stored in the second plate-shaped body 64 via the first plate-shaped body 63 and the Mylar plate 65.

In this way, the envelope A from which paper dust has been removed is transferred to the transport path R.
The upper part is conveyed in the direction of the arrow X shown in FIG. The image is sent to the printer main body 5 through the outlet 57 and used for image formation.

The above operation prevents paper dust from entering the printer main body 5, and eliminates any adverse effect on the image forming operation on the envelope A.

Next, modifications of the paper dust removing means and the paper dust storing means will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 to ↑1.

In FIGS. 5 to 11, parts having the same functions as those shown in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The paper dust removing means 70 shown in FIG. 5 has a bristle brush 71 arranged in contact with the outer periphery of the aligning roller 55. Further, the paper dust storage means 72 shown in the figure includes a dish-shaped body 73 disposed between the aligning roller 55 and the mid-roller 56, and a piece of mylar that contacts the aligning roller 55 on one piece of the dish-shaped body 73. There was a dispute over the installation of plate 74.

Even if such paper dust removal means 70 and paper dust storage means 72 are used, the same effect as shown in FIG. 3 can be achieved.

The paper dust removing means 75 shown in FIG. 6 includes Mylar plates 76a on both the upper and lower aligning rollers.

76b is arranged in sliding contact. Further, the paper dust storage means 77 shown in the same figure has a dish-shaped body 78 arranged in place of the guide plate 58a, and a dish-shaped body 79 arranged below the Mylar plate 76b that slides on the aligning roller 55. be.

Even if both such means 75 and 77 are used, the same effect as shown in FIG. 3 can be achieved.

The paper dust removing means 80 shown in FIG. 7 includes a two-stage bristle brush 82a on the upper roller of the aligning roller 55.

1 82b are arranged in contact with each other.

Further, the paper powder storage means 8 shown in the same figure includes the guide plate 5.
A plate-shaped body 83 is disposed in a part of the aligning roller 9a close to the upper roller of the aligning roller 55, and a Mylar plate 84 is attached to one piece of the plate-shaped body 83 so as to be in sliding contact with the upper roller.

Even if both such means 80 and 81 are used, the same effect as shown in FIG. 3 can be achieved.

The paper dust removing means 85 shown in FIG. 8 includes the guide plate 58'.
a and 58b are arranged separately, and a bristle brush roller 86 is arranged between the guide plates 58a so as to face the conveyance path R. Further, the paper dust storage means 87 shown in the same figure has a plate-shaped body 88 arranged between guide plates 58b, and a Mylar plate 89 that slides on the bristle brush roller 86 is attached to one piece of the plate-shaped body 88. .

Both means 85. According to '87, the paper powder on the envelope A separated by the separating roller 54 can be immediately removed and collected.

The paper dust removing means 90 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 has a bristle brush body 91 (or two bristle brush bodies 91a and 91b) arranged on the left side of the aligning roller 55. Further, the paper powder storage means 92 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is
A dish-shaped body 93 is arranged on the guide plate 59b side.

According to the paper dust removal means 90 and the paper dust storage means 92, paper dust can be removed and collected immediately after the aligning roller 55.

The paper dust removing means 95 shown in FIG. 11 has a sponge roller 96 arranged in contact with the upper roller of the aligning roller 55. Further, the paper powder storage means 97 shown in the same figure includes a plate-shaped body 98 placed on the guide plate 58, and a mylar plate 99 on one piece of the plate-shaped body 98 that contacts the upper roller.
This is the one with the .

Even if such both means 95 and 97 are used, the same effect as shown in FIG. 3 can be achieved.

↑3 4 The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist.

For example, the paper dust removing means and the paper dust collecting means may be made into a unit and may be detachably attached to the envelope feeder.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention described in detail above, with the above configuration, paper dust generated by the paper-like medium separation operation can be reliably removed and collected before it enters the apparatus main body, and image formation It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can eliminate factors that adversely affect operation and stabilize image quality.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a laser printer that is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the laser printer, FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of an envelope feeder in the laser printer, and FIG. a) and (b) are respectively explanatory diagrams of the operation of the separating roller of the envelope feeder, and FIGS. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the separation roller in the conventional device. Machine... Laser printer, 3... Envelope feeder, 5... Printer main body, 54... Separation roller, 55... Aligning roller, 60... Paper dust removal means, 61... Paper Powder storage means, R...conveyance route, A...envelope.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image forming apparatus, a paper-like medium for image formation is fed from a paper feeding means, separated into sheets by a separating means, and carried into the apparatus main body via a conveyance path to be used for image formation.
A transport path from the separating means to the apparatus main body is provided with a paper dust removing means for removing paper dust generated from the paper-like medium, and a paper dust storage means for storing the paper dust removed by the paper dust removing means. An image forming apparatus characterized by: