JP2003015501A - Imaging apparatus and method for detaching flywheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus, in which a flywheel to smooth the actuation of a movable part is easily and surely fixed on a rotary shaft, and which can be made small in a parallel direction with the rotary shaft. SOLUTION: In this imaging apparatus, a toner image is formed on an image carrier by charging, exposure and development and transferred to recording material by transfer, and then it is fixed on the recording material through fixing. The imaging apparatus is equipped with a movable part formed inside the device, the rotary shaft rotatingly interlocked with the movable part, the flywheel integrally rotating with the rotary shaft and smoothing the actuation of the movable part and a flywheel fixing member press-fit, in order to fix the flywheel on the rotary shaft and fixing the flywheel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a method for removing a flywheel, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having a flywheel that facilitates the operation of a movable part, and the image forming apparatus. A method for removing a formed flywheel.

[0002]

(Prior Art 1) An example of a conventional image forming apparatus is shown. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a mounting portion of a flywheel used in a conventional image forming apparatus. As shown in FIG. 6, a movable portion 94 formed inside the image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum mechanism (not shown). The rotating shaft 91 rotates in conjunction with the movable portion 94. On the other hand, the flywheel 93 facilitates the operation of the movable portion 94, and the flywheel 93 is fixed to the flange member 92 by a plurality of male screws 96. Further, the flange member 92 is fixed to the rotating shaft 91 by a male screw 95.

Here, when the rotary shaft 91 is rotated by a drive source (not shown), the movable portion 94 operates, and at the same time, the flywheel 93 also rotates, and the inertial force of the flywheel 93 smoothes the operation of the movable portion 94. There is.

(Prior Art 2) Next, a conventional method for removing a flywheel formed in an image forming apparatus will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, first, the male screw 95 is removed, and the flange member 92 is attached to the rotary shaft 91. From the flywheel 9
3 and the flange member 92 are separated.

[0005]

However, as a problem of (Prior Art 1), since the flywheel 93 is fixed to the rotary shaft 91 via the flange member 92, the fixing mechanism is complicated, and the flange member is complicated. 92 for rotating shaft 9
Since the male screw 95 is used to fix it to 1, the male screw 95 becomes large in the longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft 91, and the flywheel 93 is repeatedly rotated and stopped to exert a force repeatedly on the male screw 95, resulting in loosening of the screw. There is a problem that it is easy.

An object of the first invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which fixing of a flywheel for smoothing the operation of a movable portion to a rotary shaft is simple and reliable, and a size thereof can be reduced in a direction parallel to the rotary shaft. To do.

As a problem of (Prior Art 2), it is necessary to remove the male screw 95 from the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis, so that workability is poor, and further, it is necessary to remove the flange member 92 from the flywheel 93. Is complicated.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a method for removing a flywheel, which enables a flywheel which facilitates the operation of a movable portion of an image forming apparatus to be removed easily, reliably and quickly.

[0009]

The object of the first invention can be achieved by the following means.

In the image forming apparatus, a toner image is formed on an image bearing member by charging, exposing and developing, the toner image is transferred to a recording material by transfer, and then the toner image is fixed on the recording material by fixing. A movable part formed inside the device, a rotary shaft that rotates in conjunction with the movable part, a flywheel that rotates integrally with the rotary shaft, and smoothes the operation of the movable part, and the rotary shaft includes An image forming apparatus comprising: a flywheel fixing member that is press-fitted to fix the flywheel and that fixes the flywheel.

The object of the second invention can be achieved by the following means. A method for removing a flywheel of an image forming apparatus, comprising fixing a flywheel for smooth operation of a movable portion of the image forming apparatus by press-fitting and fixing the flywheel onto a rotating shaft by a flywheel fixing member. A male screw that engages with the female screw portion provided on the member is screwed in, and the flywheel fixing member is moved in a direction parallel to the rotary shaft with respect to the flywheel while pressing the side surface of the flywheel with the tip portion of the male screw. A method for removing a flywheel, wherein the flywheel fixing member is removed from the rotary shaft, and the flywheel is removed from the rotary shaft.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image forming apparatus and a flywheel removing method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) First, the overall structure of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is a photosensitive drum that is an image forming body, 11 is a scorotron charger that is a charging unit for each color, 12 is an exposure optical system that is an image writing unit for each color, and 13 is a developing unit for each color. Is a developing device, and 14 is a transfer belt.

The photosensitive drum 10 is, for example, a transparent conductive layer, an a-Si layer, an organic photosensitive layer (OPC) or the like on the outer periphery of a cylindrical substrate formed of a transparent member such as optical glass or transparent acrylic resin. The photosensitive layer (also referred to as a photoconductive layer) is formed and is rotated in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 with the conductive layer grounded. The photoconductor drum 10 is smoothly rotated by a flywheel 66. The flywheel 66 will be described in detail later.

The scorotron charger 11, which is the charging means for each color, the exposure optical system 12, which is the image writing means for each color, and the developing device 13, which is the developing means for each color, form a set of yellow (Y ), Magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) image forming processes, four sets are provided, and the photosensitive drum 1 indicated by an arrow in FIG.
With respect to the rotation direction of 0, they are arranged in the order of Y, M, C and K.

The scorotron charger 11, which is a charging means for each color, has a control grid that is held at a predetermined potential and a discharge electrode 11a that is, for example, a sawtooth electrode, and has a photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum 10. It is attached opposite to and is charged by corona discharge having the same polarity as the toner to give a uniform potential to the photosensitive drum 10.

Exposure optical system 1 as an image writing means for each color
2 is disposed inside the photoconductor drum 10 such that the exposure position on the photoconductor drum 10 is located downstream of the scorotron charger 11 for each color in the rotation direction of the photoconductor drum 10.

Each of the exposure optical systems 12 is a linear exposure in which a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) as light emitting elements for image exposure light arranged in the main scanning direction in parallel with the axis of the photosensitive drum are arranged in an array. An exposure unit including an element 12a, a light converging light transmitter (trade name: SELFOC lens array (R)) 12b as an imaging element, and a lens holder (not shown). It is installed.

The holding member 120 has an exposure optical system 1 for each color.
2, the transfer simultaneous exposure device 12d and the uniform exposure device 12
e is attached and integrally housed inside the base of the photosensitive drum 10.

The exposure optical system 12 for each color exposes the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum 10 from the back side in accordance with the image data of each color read by a separate image reading device and stored in the memory, and the photosensitive drum 10 is exposed. Form an electrostatic latent image on top.

As the exposure element 12a, in addition to the LED, F
It is also possible to use a plurality of light emitting elements such as L (fluorescent substance light emission), EL (electroluminescence), PL (plasma discharge) arranged in an array.

The light emission wavelength of the exposure element is usually in the range of 780 to 900 nm, which has high transmittance for Y, M, and C toners, but in the present embodiment, image exposure is performed from the back surface. 400 to 780 nm shorter than this, which does not have sufficient transparency for color toner.
May be the wavelength of.

The developing device 13, which is a developing means for each color, maintains a predetermined gap with respect to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 and is a cylindrical non-magnetic member that rotates in the forward direction with respect to the rotating direction of the photosensitive drum 10. A developing sleeve 131 made of stainless steel or an aluminum material and a developing casing 138 are provided. Inside the developing casing 138, yellow (Y),
It contains magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) one-component or two-component developers.

Each developing unit 13 is a photosensitive drum 10.
And a non-contact reversal development is performed by applying a development bias in which a DC voltage and an AC voltage are superimposed to the development sleeve 131 to maintain a non-contact reversal development. To form a superposed toner image.

Rollers 14a and 14b stretch the transfer belt 14, and the structure is such that 14a receives power from a drive source (not shown) and rotates the transfer belt in the direction of the arrow.

Numerals 15 and 16 are first and second transfer means, which are opposed to the photoconductor drum 10 with the transfer belt 14 interposed therebetween, and are a charge remover, and 17 is the photoconductor drum 10 after the completion of the transfer process. AC static eliminator for eliminating static electricity, 1
Reference numeral 8 denotes a cleaning device for cleaning the surface of the photosensitive drum after the charge removal, which has a cleaning blade 180.

Reference numeral 20 designates a cassette for accommodating a sheet P on which the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 10 is transferred,
Reference numeral 25 is a paper feed roller.

On the moving path of the paper P, a pair of conveying rollers R1
Through R5, a transfer belt 14, a heat roller type fixing device (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a fixing device) 300, and the like are attached.

Reference numeral 21 denotes an AC static eliminator for separating the sheet, which is arranged to face the roller 14a via the transfer belt 14.

The fixing device 300 incorporates a halogen heater (halogen lamp) 301, a fixing roller portion 305 having a heat generating roller (also referred to as a fixing roller) 30 capable of rotating around the halogen heater, a heater 302 and a pressure contact roller 3.
15 and a pressure contact roller portion 316 having
T indicates a nip portion.

In the figure, 22 is a transfer belt 14.
A separation claw for surely separating the paper P after transfer, which is fed integrally with the paper, has its tip positioned close to the surface of the transfer belt 14 on the roller 14a.

The image forming process in the image forming apparatus having the above structure is as follows.

When the image formation is started, the photosensitive drum drive motor (not shown) is started, and the photosensitive drum 10 is rotated together with the flywheel 66 in the clockwise direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 1, and at the same time, the yellow (Y) scorotron charger. 11 operates to apply a predetermined potential to the photosensitive drum 10.

Subsequently, the image writing by the first color signal, that is, the electric signal corresponding to the Y image data is started via the Y exposure optical system 12, and the Y image of the original image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to is formed.

The electrostatic latent image is reversely developed by the Y developing device 13 in a non-contact state to form a yellow (Y) toner image on the photosensitive drum 10.

Then, a potential is applied to the photosensitive drum 10 from above the Y toner image by the charging action of the magenta (M) scorotron charger 11, and the M exposure optical system 12 causes a second color signal. That is, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the M image is formed by image writing with an electric signal corresponding to the M image data, and a yellow (Y) toner image is formed by non-contact reversal development by the M developing device 13. A magenta (M) toner image is formed on top of the other.

By the same process, the cyan (C) toner image corresponding to the third color signal is superposed by the cyan (C) scorotron charger 11, the exposure optical system 12 of C and the developing device 13 of C. Formed thereon, and a black (K) toner image corresponding to the fourth color signal is successively superposed thereon by a black (K) scorotron charger 11, an exposure optical system 12 of K and a developing device 13 of K. And the four color toner images of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) are formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 within one rotation. .

These Y, M, C and K exposure optical systems 1
Image writing on the photosensitive layer of the photoconductor drum 10 by 2 is performed from the inside of the photoconductor drum 10 through the light-transmitting substrate.

Therefore, the writing of the images corresponding to the second, third and fourth color signals is performed without any influence of the toner image previously formed, and corresponds to the first color signal. It is possible to form an electrostatic latent image equivalent to an image.

The superimposed color toner images formed on the photosensitive drum 10 as an image forming body by the above image forming process are collectively transferred onto the paper P by the transfer device 15 in the transfer area.

At this time, the transfer simultaneous exposure device 12d provided inside the photosensitive drum 10 is energized to perform uniform exposure so that good transfer can be performed.

The toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 after the completion of the transfer process is neutralized by the AC static eliminator 17 and then cleaned by the cleaning device 18, whereby the surface of the photosensitive drum is To prepare for image formation.

In the embodiment, after the cleaning and before the next charging, the uniform exposure device 12e using, for example, a light emitting diode is operated to eliminate the history of image formation on the surface of the photosensitive drum. .

The paper P on which the color toner image is formed is A
By the static eliminating action of the C static eliminator 21 and the separation claw 22,
It is separated from the transfer belt 14 and conveyed to the fixing device 300, where the toner image is fixed on the paper P.

Next, the mounting structure of the flywheel shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a main configuration including a flywheel, a flywheel fixing member, and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the movable portion 55 formed in the image forming apparatus is a movable portion including the photosensitive drum 10. Further, the rotary shaft 60 rotates in conjunction with the movable portion 55.

The rotating shaft 60 is supported by bearings 52 provided on two supporting members 51, respectively, and is rotatable. The flywheel 66 is a flywheel fixing member 71.
It is fixed to the rotary shaft 60 and rotates integrally. Motor 5
3 is a flywheel 66, a flywheel fixing member 7
1. Rotation of the motor 53 is transmitted to the gear train 54 by the drive source that drives the movable portion 55, and the rotating shaft 60 rotates.

Next, the fixed part of the flywheel will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the flywheel 66 is fixed to the rotary shaft 60 by the flywheel fixing member 71 and integrally rotates. The flywheel fixing member 71 also has a flywheel function, has a hole 71d that is press-fitted into the tip portion 60a of the rotating shaft 60, and further has an elastic portion 71a that presses the flywheel 66 in a direction parallel to the rotating shaft 60. Further, there is a convex portion 71b that presses the flywheel 66.

Next, the method of attaching the flywheel will be described. The flywheel 66 is fitted into the tip portion 60a of the rotary shaft 60, and the hole 71d of the flywheel fixing member 71 also having a flywheel function is inserted into the tip of the rotary shaft 60. The part 60a is press-fitted and fixed. At the time of press fitting, the convex portion 71b formed on the flywheel fixing member 71 pushes the flywheel 66 from the side surface, and the elastic portion 71a is elastically deformed, so that the flywheel 66 can be directly and accurately fixed to the rotating shaft 60 accurately. Has become.

The operation will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. When the motor 53 rotates, the rotary shaft 60 rotates via the gear train 54. When the rotary shaft 60 rotates, the flywheel fixing member 71 also rotates integrally, and the flywheel 66 that is pressed and fixed by the elastic portion 71a rotates with high precision. The movable part 55 operates smoothly due to the total inertial force of the flywheel 66 and the flywheel fixing member 71.

The method for press-fitting and fixing the flywheel fixing member 71 to the rotary shaft 60 is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and for example, the tip portion 6 of the rotary shaft 60 may be used.
The flywheel fixing member 71 may be press-fitted by inserting a plurality of slits in 0a to facilitate elastic deformation, or a plurality of grooves may be provided in the holes 71d of the flywheel fixing member 71 to press-fit the rotary shaft 60. May be.

As described above, the fixing of the flywheel, which facilitates the operation of the movable portion, to the rotary shaft is simple and reliable, and the size can be reduced in the rotary shaft direction.

(Second Embodiment) Another image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. This image forming apparatus is mechanically the same as FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 shown in the first embodiment except for the flywheel and the flywheel fixing member, and different parts will be mainly described.

As shown in FIG. 4, the flywheel 67
Is provided with a plurality of holes 67a. The flywheel 67 is fixed to the rotary shaft 60 by a flywheel fixing member 72 and rotates integrally. Flywheel fixing member 7
2 has a flywheel function itself, and the rotary shaft 60
Has a hole 72d for press-fitting into the front end portion 60a of the rotor 6, and the flywheel 67 is further provided with the hole 6d in a direction parallel to the rotary shaft 60.
There is a protrusion 72e that fits into 7a.

Explaining the method of mounting the flywheel, the hole 72d of the flywheel fixing member 72 is inserted into the rotary shaft 6
It is press-fitted and fixed to the front end portion 60a of No. 0. Similarly, the protrusion 72e of the flywheel fixing member 72 fits into the hole 67a of the flywheel 67 to prevent the flywheel 67 from rotating and to fix the flywheel 67 to the rotary shaft 60 accurately and reliably. In addition,
The operation is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore its explanation is omitted.

As described above, the flywheel that facilitates the operation of the movable portion can be fixed easily and securely to the rotary shaft.
The size in the direction parallel to the rotation axis can be reduced.

In the first and second embodiments described above,
The movable unit 55 having the photosensitive drum 10 has been described, but the movable unit 55 is not limited to this. For example, the movable unit 55 having a photosensitive belt or an intermediate transfer belt is also applicable.

The flywheels 66 and 67 may be a combination of a plurality of rotating disks.

(Third Embodiment) A method for removing a flywheel according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described as an example. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the flywheel is being removed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the flywheel 66 is fixed to the rotary shaft 60 by a flywheel fixing member 71.

As shown in FIG. 5, the method of removing the flywheel 66 is as follows.
A male screw 80 is screwed into a plurality of female screw portions 71 c provided in the circumferential direction of the flywheel 66 by a screwdriver 81 to move straight in parallel with the rotary shaft 60, and a tip portion 80 a of the male screw 80 presses the side surface of the flywheel 66. Then, with respect to the flywheel 66, the flywheel fixing member 71 moves in a direction parallel to the rotating shaft 60, and the flywheel fixing member 71 moves.
More off. Next, the flywheel 66 is pulled out from the rotary shaft 60.

In the second embodiment, male screws (not shown) are screwed into and removed from the female screw portions 72c provided in the circumferential direction of the flywheel fixing member 72 shown in FIG.

As described above, the flywheel 66 formed on the image forming apparatus can be removed easily, reliably, and quickly.

[0063]

As constructed above, the following effects can be obtained.

According to the image forming apparatus of the first aspect,
Fixing the flywheel to the rotating shaft to facilitate the operation of the movable portion is simple and reliable, and the size can be reduced in the rotating shaft direction. Furthermore, according to the method of removing the flywheel of the tenth aspect, the flywheel that facilitates the operation of the movable portion of the image forming apparatus can be removed easily, reliably, and quickly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a main configuration including a flywheel, a flywheel fixing member, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a portion where the flywheel shown in FIG. 2 is attached to a rotary shaft.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a mounting portion of another flywheel of the present invention to a rotary shaft.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the flywheel is being removed.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a mounting portion of a flywheel used in a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Photosensitive drum 55 Moving part 60 rotation axis 66,67 flywheel 71, 72 Flywheel fixing member 71a elastic part 71b convex part 71c, 72c Female thread 71d, 72d holes

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 2H035 CA05 CA07 CB03 CB06 CD05                       CG03                 2H071 BA41 CA01 CA02 CA05 DA09                       DA15 DA16 DA26 EA02 EA18                 2H200 FA20 GA23 GA24 GA33 GA44                       GA47 GA51 GA54 GA57 GA59                       GA66 HA12 HB03 JA02 JB06                       JC03 LA11 LA29

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on an image bearing member by charging, exposing and developing, transferring the toner image to a recording material, and fixing the toner image to the recording material by fixing. A movable part formed inside the image forming apparatus; a rotary shaft that rotates in conjunction with the movable part; a flywheel that rotates integrally with the rotary shaft to facilitate the operation of the movable part; An image forming apparatus, comprising: a flywheel fixing member that is press-fitted to fix the flywheel and that fixes the flywheel. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flywheel fixing member has a flywheel function of smoothing the operation of the movable portion. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flywheel is composed of at least one rotating disk. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flywheel fixing member has an elastic portion that presses the flywheel in a direction parallel to the rotation axis. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flywheel fixing member has a convex portion that presses the flywheel. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flywheel fixing member has a female screw portion that meshes with a male screw for removal. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable portion has at least a photosensitive drum mechanism. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable portion has at least a photoconductor belt mechanism. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable portion has at least an intermediate transfer belt mechanism. 10. A method of removing a flywheel of an image forming apparatus, wherein a flywheel that smoothens the operation of a movable portion of the image forming apparatus is press-fitted and fixed to a rotating shaft by a flywheel fixing member, and the flywheel is parallel to the rotating shaft. A male screw that meshes with a female screw portion provided on the flywheel fixing member is screwed into the flywheel fixing member while pressing a side surface of the flywheel with a tip portion of the male screw, with respect to the flywheel, the flywheel fixing member and the rotating shaft. A method for removing a flywheel, which comprises moving the flywheel fixing member from the rotary shaft by moving in a parallel direction, and removing the flywheel from the rotary shaft.