JPH0216574A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the installation area of the image forming device and to improve the operability by setting the front surface of a device main body so that a form which is inserted from above runs downward on the front side of a process cartridge. CONSTITUTION:The process cartridge 1 formed by housing a photosensitive drum 2 as an image carrier and a transfer station 18 arranged nearby the photo sensitive drum 2 in one frame body is attachable to and detachable from the device main body. A fixing device 8 for fixing a developer permanently on a form as a transfer material is arranged below the process cartridge 1 and the front surface of the device is so set that the form 17 travels on the front side of the process cartridge 1. For the purpose, the process cartridge is ar ranged having its lengthwise direction vertically and the fixing device is pro vided below it. Consequently, the installation area of the device is reduced and all forms can be handled from in front of the device, so the operability is superior.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional image forming apparatus is shown in FIG.

The process cartridge 21 and the fixing device 28 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As mentioned above, conventional image forming apparatuses have a structure in which the process cartridge is placed in a horizontal position and the fixing device is placed next to it, so the installation area of the apparatus is large, and the paper transport system used as the transfer material is If trays are installed at the paper suction and paper ejection sections (reference numerals 42 and 33) in order to make the path closer to a straight line, this has the disadvantage that the area occupied by the device becomes even larger. Also, in such a configuration,
There is also a drawback in terms of operability, since the direction in which the operator operates the device cannot be limited to a single direction, and the operator can cover any surface of the device.

[Means to solve the problem]

The image forming apparatus of the present invention has a process cartridge that houses a photosensitive drum as an image bearing member and a transfer station disposed close to the photosensitive drum in one frame, which can be freely attached to and detached from the main body of the apparatus. A fixing device is placed below the process cartridge to permanently fix the developer on the paper, and the front of the device is set so that the paper runs in front of the process cartridge.

In other words, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a process cartridge which is provided with a developing device, a photosensitive drum, and a cleaning section sequentially from the top and is detachable from the main body of the apparatus, and a process cartridge which is disposed below the process cartridge and has a photosensitive drum. a fixing device that permanently fixes the toner that is formed as a visible image on the drum and transferred to the paper at the transfer station; The front side is set.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the surface of a paper 170, which is a transfer material taken in from a paper feed port 12 opened at the top of the apparatus, is subjected to a series of electronic transfer processes at a transfer station 18.
The toner is developed and transferred onto a photosensitive drum 2, which is an image carrier, by a transfer charger 11. This toner image is permanently fixed to the paper 17 by applying heat and pressure by a heat roller 19 and a pressure roller 20 in the fixing device 8.

The paper 17 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 13. A process cartridge 1, which can be freely attached to and removed from the apparatus, is arranged parallel to a sheet of paper 17 in order from above to a developing device 3, a photosensitive drum 2, and a cleaning section 6, and is in charge of each process. The above-mentioned fixing device 8 is arranged below the process cartridge 1. If the front binding of the device is set so that the paper runs in front of the photosensitive drum 2 (toward the right in FIG. 1 (arrow A)), the paper discharged to the paper output tray 13 will run in front of the operator. be discharged.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is configured such that the process cartridge is disposed so that its longitudinal direction is vertical, and the fixing device is provided below the process cartridge. This has the effect of reducing the area by 7. In addition, by setting the front side of the photosensitive drum, which is the image carrier, so that the paper running section is on the front side, all paper can be handled from the front of the device. This has the advantage that an image forming apparatus with excellent operability can be constructed.

...Fuser, 11...Transfer charger, 12...Paper feed slot, 13/33...Ejection tray, 17...Paper, 1
8... Transfer station, 19... Heat roller,
20...Pressure roller, 42...Suction tray.

Agent: Patent Attorney Susumu Uchihara

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional image forming apparatus. 1.21... Process cartridge, 2... Photosensitive drum, 3... Developing device, 6... Cleaning section, 8...
Figure 28

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A process cartridge in which a developing device, a photosensitive drum, and a cleaning section are arranged sequentially from above and can be attached to and removed from the main body of the apparatus, and a process cartridge arranged below the process cartridge to form a developing image on the photosensitive drum. a fixing device that permanently fixes the toner that has been formed and transferred onto the paper at the transfer station, and the front surface of the apparatus main body is set so that the paper inserted from above runs downward on the near side of the process cartridge. An image forming apparatus characterized by: (2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge tray provided at a position below the fixing device on the front side of the apparatus main body.