JPH02253287A - Photosensitive body unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To stably place a photosensitive body without turning by connecting both side plates, which bear the photosensitive body with a stay, and allowing a part of both side plates projecting from the outer peripheral area of the photosensitive body. CONSTITUTION:A holder 28 of the drum-like photosensitive body 13 is composed by connecting both side plates 34 possessing a pair of leg parts 33 with the stay 35 serving also as a grip. The shaft parts of both edges of photosensitive body 13 are pivotally bead in the central part of both side plates 34 by shaft bearings 36, and the leg parts 33 of both side plate 34 project from the outer peripheral area of the photosensitive body 13. Since they are projecting, even when a photosensitive unit 29 is placed on a placing surface, the photosensitive body 13 is never brought into contact with the placing surface, maintains a fixed space with respect to the placing surface, and turns hardly onto the placing surface.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Lose weight! INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printers, and facsimiles that use lasers, for example. More specifically, the present invention relates to the photoreceptor unit.

In this type of image forming apparatus, in order to facilitate the replacement of consumables, there is a method in which a kit including a photoreceptor is constructed and the kit is replaced. However, the lifespan of the parts that make up the kit is not uniform, and in order to minimize running costs,
It is advantageous in terms of cost to replace the photoreceptor, which has a relatively long life, separately from other parts. However, when adopting such a method of replacing only the photoreceptor, an important issue is that the operation at the time of replacing the photoreceptor is easy and the photoreceptor is not damaged.

Conventionally, this method uses only the photoreceptor replacement method.

For example, the following three publications each contain disclosures.

■ Publication of Utility Model Application No. 61-201054 The shaft portions at both ends of the photoreceptor drum are supported between the arms at both ends of the side handle member, and the handle member is attached to the photoreceptor drum within the kit frame. It can be attached and detached freely.

■ JP-A No. 61-110166 The shafts at both ends of the photoreceptor drum are supported between the arms at both ends of the side holder, and the holder is attached to the photoreceptor drum during cleaning. It is designed to be able to be attached and detached freely.

(1) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 32-180383 The shaft portions at both ends of the photosensitive drum are directly removably supported on the frame of the cleaning unit.

Problems that Ming is trying to solveHowever, the above item (■) has poor operability in exchange, and compared to this, items (■) and (■) are relatively easy;
, ■, when removed, the surface of the photoreceptor comes into direct contact with the mounting surface, causing scratches and problems with the image, and in the case of the photoreceptor drum, there is a problem that it rolls. there were.

The present invention aims to solve such problems.

The present invention provides a photoconductor unit in which a photoconductor is supported by a photoconductor holder that is attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus main body, and the photoconductor holder supports a photoconductor rotatably on a bearing. It is characterized in that it is constructed by connecting side plates on both sides that are rotatably mounted to each other via a stay, and that a part of the side plates on both sides protrudes from the outer peripheral area of the photoreceptor.

Since parts of the side plates on both sides of the photoconductor holder protrude from the outer peripheral area of the photoconductor, the protruding parts can maintain a constant distance between the photoconductor surface and the mounting surface. .

Dog - Group 1 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

14, 15, and 16 are schematic explanatory diagrams of a laser printer in which a photoreceptor unit according to the present invention is used, and FIG. 14 uses a drum-shaped photoreceptor and paper is placed underneath it. The type shown in Figure 15 uses a drum-shaped photoreceptor and transfers the visible image by transporting the paper onto the top of the photoreceptor, and the type shown in Figure 16 shows a type that transfers the visible image by conveying the paper. This type uses a photoreceptor, and corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals. All of these are Kamini Knit 1
0 and a lower unit 11, and as shown in FIGS. 17, 18, and 19, the upper unit 10 can be opened and closed relative to the lower unit 11 around a fulcrum 12, and when opened Then, replace the photoreceptor 13 and other parts. The photoreceptor 13 is taken out upward in FIGS. 17 and 19, and to the right in FIG. 18.

In FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, the paper feed device 14
The paper 15 fed from the photoreceptor 13 is sent to the photoreceptor 13 by a pair of registration rollers 16. A toner image is visualized on the surface of the photoreceptor 13 by the charging charger 17, the fog light device 18, and the developing device M19, and is transferred onto the paper 15 by the transfer charger 20. After this, the paper 15 is transferred to the fixing unit by the conveying section 21! After being conveyed to 22 and fixed, it is discharged to paper discharge section 23 or 24. On the other hand, the photoreceptor 13 after the transfer process is cleaned by a cleaning device 25.

In FIGS. 14 and 15, reference numeral 26 denotes a separation device that separates the paper 15 from the surface of the photoreceptor after the transfer process. If the curvature of the portion of the photoreceptor 13 facing the transfer charger 20 is small, such as the type shown in FIG. 16, the paper 15 is separated by its own rigidity, so the separating device 26 is not necessary. In the type shown in FIGS. 15 and 16ffl, the paper 15 is held in the fixing device 2 while holding the toner image on its lower surface.
2, the conveyance unit 21 can be vacuum-based, or a belt-based conveyance system can be used to improve conveyance. Also, the paper 15 after printing is completed.
In order to align the pages, in the one shown in FIG. 14, the direction in which the paper 15 is ejected can be switched using a switching guide 27.

1 to 3 show an example of a photoreceptor unit according to the present invention. The drum-shaped photoreceptor 13 is attached to the photoreceptor holder 2
8 to form a photoreceptor unit 29, and together with the photoreceptor holder 28, for example, an image forming case 30 shown in FIG.
It is detachably attached to the camera as described below. The photoreceptor 13 has shaft parts 31 protruding from both ends thereof, and a gear 32 on one shaft part 31.
is firmly attached. The photoconductor holder 28 has a pair of legs 33
The side plates 34 on both sides are connected by a stay 35 which also serves as a handle. The photoreceptor 13 is rotatably supported by shaft portions 31 at both ends thereof in the central portions of the side plates 34 on both sides by bearings 36, and the leg portions 31 of the side plates 34 on both sides
3 protrudes from the outer peripheral area of the photoreceptor 13. Because this protrudes, even when the photoreceptor unit 29 is placed on the mounting surface, the surface of the photoreceptor 13 does not come into contact with the mounting surface, and is maintained at a constant distance from the mounting surface. There is no rolling.

FIG. 4 shows another example of the photoreceptor unit 29, in which a stay 35 is provided with an elongated window hole 37 through which light from the exposure device 18 passes, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. This window hole 37 can be provided with an optical filter.

The photoreceptor unit 29 shown in FIG. 5 has a charger 17 as a stay that connects the side plates 34 on both sides of the photoreceptor holder 28. As shown in FIG.

The photoreceptor unit 29 shown in FIG. 6 has a paper guide 38 as a stay. This paper guide 38 guides the paper 15 before and after the pair of registration rollers 16, as shown in number 15. In this example, a stay 35 having a window hole 37 and a charger 17 can be further provided between the side plates 34 on both sides.

The photoreceptor unit 29 in FIG. 7 includes two wind guide plates 40.
This is what made it a stay. This wind guide plate 40
When the photoconductor unit 29 is set, it comes close to the charger 17 as shown in FIG.
Prevents image quality from deteriorating due to ozone.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show examples in which the photoreceptor 13 is grounded via the photoreceptor holder 28. FIG. In FIG. 8, when the bearing 36 is conductive, a conductive grounding plate spring 41 provided on the main body side is brought into pressure contact with the side plate 34. In FIG. 9, an electrically conductive leaf spring 42 is fixed to the end of the stay 35 and pressed against the shaft 31 of the photoreceptor drum 13.
5 is also conductive so that it is electrically connected to the main body at an appropriate location. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the photoreceptor holder 28 and the imaging case 30. As shown in FIG. 14, the case 30 includes a photoreceptor unit 29. cleaning device 25,
It can accommodate the developing device 19 and is rotatable about the fulcrum 43. In FIG. 17, when the image forming case 30 is lifted by picking the knob 44, the jammed paper can be easily removed.The bottom 45 of the image forming case 30 has a photoreceptor holder 28.
holes 4 into which the pair of legs 33 of the side plate 34 are respectively fitted.
6.47 is provided. To prevent the mistake of setting the photoreceptor unit 29 in the image forming case 30 in the opposite direction,
The widths W8 and W of both leg portions 33 are different, and the two holes 46 and 47 have the same dimensions.

The example in FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another example of attaching and detaching the photoreceptor holder 28 to and from the image forming case 30. Photoconductor holder 2
One rib 48 and two ribs 49 are vertically provided on the side plate 34 of No. 8, and these ribs 48 are provided on the side wall of one imaging case 20.
・One groove 50 and two grooves 51 that fit into the groove 49 are provided.

In this way, the photoreceptor unit 29 is connected to the image forming case 3.
It is possible to prevent it from being set in the opposite direction to 0, and it is easy to attach and detach.

FIG. 12 shows an example in which a counter 52 for counting the number of times the photoreceptor 13 is used is provided on the main body side.

A connecting rod 54 is attached to a guide protrusion 53 on a side wall of the imaging case 30 so as to be vertically slidable. On the other hand, on the side plate 34 of the photoreceptor holder 28, an actuating piece 56 having a notch 55 is attached to the rib 48.
Provided integrally at the upper end of the When lowering the new photoconductor unit 29 to set it in the image forming case 30, the first actuating piece 56
pushes down the connecting rod 54, and the connecting rod 54 pushes down on the counter 52.
The counter 52 is reset by pressing the reset section 57.

Furthermore, when the photoreceptor unit 29 is lowered and finally set in the image forming case 30, the actuating piece 56 is deformed or broken at the notch 55. This photoconductor unit 29 again
Even if set in the image forming case 30, the actuating piece 56 does not reset the counter 52, and the counter 52 increases the count value according to the image forming frequency, and when it reaches a predetermined value, it indicates the life of the photoreceptor 13. Generate a signal. If the counter 52 is installed at a position where the counted value can be seen by the operator, it is possible to know numerically when the life of the photoreceptor 13 has come to an end, and spare parts can be prepared in advance.

FIG. 13 shows a belt-shaped photoreceptor 13 held in a photoreceptor holder 28.
The photoreceptor unit 29 is shown mounted between the side plates 34 on both sides. In this example, the paper guide 58 is used as a stay.

According to the present invention, regardless of whether the photoreceptor is in the form of a drum or a belt, the photoreceptor can be independently attached to and removed from a cleaning device, etc., so that when the usage limit of the photoreceptor is reached, the photoreceptor can be removed from the main body of the image forming apparatus. It can be taken out independently from the photoreceptor holder, and at that time, the stay of the photoconductor holder can be used as a handle to easily attach and detach the photoconductor holder. In addition, even when the photoconductor unit is placed on the mounting surface, a part of the side plate of the photoconductor holder can separate the photoconductor surface from the mounting surface, so the photoconductor remains stable without rolling. It can be placed on the table and the surface can be prevented from being scratched. In other words, the photoreceptor is easy to handle and damage to the photoreceptor can be prevented.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a photoreceptor unit according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a central sectional view of Figure 1, Figure 3 is the x-X line in Figure 2.
FIG. 4 to 7 are sectional views of other examples of the photoreceptor unit according to the present invention, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are sectional views of examples in which the photoreceptor is grounded via a photoreceptor holder. 10 to 12 are exploded perspective views showing the relationship between the photoreceptor unit and the image forming case, respectively, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the photoreceptor unit when the photoreceptor is in the form of a belt. Figures 14, 15, and 16 are schematic explanatory diagrams of laser printers in which the photoreceptor unit according to the present invention is used, and Figures 17, 18, and 19 are open views of the upper unit of these laser printers. FIG. 13...Photoconductor 28...Photoconductor holder 29...Photoconductor unit 33...
...Legs 34...Side plate Fig. 1 Fig. 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a photoconductor unit in which a photoconductor is supported by a photoconductor holder that is attached to and detached from the main body of an image forming apparatus, side plates on both sides of the photoconductor holder are rotatably bearing the photoconductor or are rotatably attached to the photoconductor holder. What is claimed is: 1. A photoconductor unit, characterized in that the photoconductor unit is constructed by connecting the two to each other via a stay, and a portion of side plates on both sides of the photoconductor unit protrude from an outer circumferential area of the photoconductor.