JPH02201460A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the degradation of an image quality from influence of ozone by stopping the image formation of an image carrier when the ozone density reaches a density which will give influence to the image formation and exhausting the ozone outside the device. CONSTITUTION:The ozone O3 generated from a photosensitive drum, etc., is introduced by an ozone detecting sensor 70, and the state of transparency of liquid not containing the ozone and liquid containing the ozone are compared. When the ozone exceeds the reference value, a detecting signal is outputted to a controlling part 100 by the ozone detecting sensor 70, and a driving signal to a driver 103a is interrupted. When the driving signal is interrupted, a driving motor 105 of a first carriage, a driving motor 107 for a spot lighting source, and a driving motor 109 for the photosensitive drum are stopped and the image formation is interrupted. At this time, by having a driving signal continually outputted to a driver 103b, rotating drive of a fan motor 111 is continued and the generated ozone is exhausted outside the device. Thus degradation of image quality from ozone influence can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses, and particularly to image forming apparatuses that are subjected to treatment for ozone generated during image formation.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, among the above-mentioned image forming apparatuses, for example, the photosensitive drum must be negatively discharged during charging and transfer in the process of forming an image in an electronic copying machine. Occur. Ozone 03 above
As a result of the generation of , the charge on the surface of the photoreceptor drum increases, and the transferred image is discharged to a paper discharge tray in a state where the surface potential is decreased. The above ozone 03 may have an effect on image quality when forming an image.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In conventional devices, when ozone 03 is generated from a photoreceptor drum or the like during image formation, the surface potential of the drum decreases and toner adhesion decreases, resulting in a decrease in image quality. There was a risk that he would be invited. As a countermeasure, the only measure is to install an ozone filter, and since no drastic countermeasures against ozone have been taken, improvements have been desired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus that prevents deterioration of image quality due to the influence of ozone.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve the above object, there is provided an image forming means for forming an image on an image bearing member, and a concentration of ozone generated by the image forming means and the image bearing member. ozone detection means for detecting ozone; means for stopping image formation by the image forming means etc. when the ozone concentration reaches a concentration that affects image formation by the image forming means; and means for stopping image formation by the image forming means etc. The gist of the present invention is to include means for exhausting the ozone to the outside of the apparatus while image formation by the means or the like is stopped.

(Function) In the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, the image carrier (
Detects the concentration of ozone generated when an image is formed on a photoreceptor drum. As a result of the detection, when the ozone concentration reaches a concentration that affects image formation, image formation on the image carrier is stopped. Since ozone is exhausted to the outside of the apparatus even while image formation is stopped, deterioration in image quality due to the influence of ozone can be prevented.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an image forming apparatus of the present invention, such as an electronic copying machine. That is, 1 is a main body of a copying machine, and a document table (transparent glass) 2 is fixed to the upper surface of the main body 1 to support a document. The document table 2 is provided with a fixed scale 2I that serves as a reference for setting the document, and further includes:
A document cover 11 that can be opened and closed is provided near the document table 2 . The original placed on the original platen 2 is
An optical system consisting of an exposure lamp 4 and mirrors 5, 6, and 7 reciprocates along the lower surface of the document table 2 in the direction of arrow a, thereby performing exposure scanning during the reciprocation. In this case, the mirror 6.7 is set so that the optical path length is maintained.
Move at 1/2 the speed of The light reflected from the original by the scanning of the optical system, that is, the light reflected from the original by the light irradiation of the exposure lamp 4, is reflected by the mirror 5, 6, 7, passes through the variable magnification lens block 8, and is further reflected by the mirror 5.6.7. 91 92. Reflected by 93 to photosensitive drum 1
0, so that an image of the document is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 10.

The photosensitive drum 10 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure, and first, the surface is charged by the charging device 11, and then the image is exposed to slit light at the exposure section ph.
An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface. This electrostatic latent image is
2, a toner is attached to the image to make it visible. The developing device 12 is detachably attached to the copying machine main body 1, and code information (not shown) indicating the color of the toner contained therein is provided on the side surface of the developing device 12. 12 is inserted into the copying machine main body 1, this code information is read by a sensor (not shown) on the copying machine main body 1 side, and the color of the toner can be determined.

On the other hand, the paper is transferred from the selected upper paper feed cassette 131 or lower paper feed cassette 132 to the feed roller 14+
142 and roller pair 15t152, the sheets are taken out one by one, passed through paper guide paths 16 and 162, and guided to registration roller pair 17.
7 to be guided to the transfer section. Here, the paper feed cassettes 131 and 132 are removably provided at the lower right end of the main body 1, and one of them can be selected on the operation panel described later. Further, the cassette size of each of the paper feed cassettes 131132 is detected by cassette size detection switches 601 and 602, respectively. The cassette size detection switches 601 and 602 are composed of a plurality of microswitches that are turned on and off according to the insertion of cassettes of different sizes. Furthermore, a manual feed guide 13a is provided on the upper surface of the paper feed cassette 131.
The paper manually inserted through the manual feed guide 13a is guided to the roller pair 151 by the feed roller 14a, and then transferred to the paper feed cassette 131.
It is designed to be transported in the same way as paper fed from.

On the other hand, the paper sent to the transfer section comes into close contact with the surface of the photoreceptor drum 10 at the transfer charger 18, so that the toner image on the photoreceptor drum 10 is transferred by the action of the charger 18. . This transferred paper P is transferred to the peeling charger 1
The transferred image is electrostatically separated from the photoreceptor drum 10 by the action of step 9, is conveyed by a conveyor belt 20, and is sent to a fixing roller 21 as a fixing device provided at the end of the conveyor belt. It will be established. After fixing, the paper is discharged to a tray 25 outside the main body 1 by a pair of delivery rollers 22. After the transfer, the photosensitive drum 10 is returned to its initial state by removing residual toner on the surface with a cleaner 26 and erasing any afterimages with a static elimination lamp 27. Note that 29 is a cooling fan for preventing the temperature inside the main body 1 from rising.

At the rear end of the static elimination lamp 27 on the straight line connecting the cooling fan 29 and the photosensitive drum 10, an offset detection sensor 7 for detecting the concentration of ozone 03 generated from the photosensitive drum 10 is provided.
0 is set. Further, the exposure lamp 4 and mirror 5 are provided on the first carriage 41, and the mirror 6.7 is provided on the second carriage 412.

On the other hand, the first carriage 41+ is provided with a spot light source 131 that is movable in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the first carriage 41+. This spot light source 131
is provided with a light emitting element that irradiates a spotlight onto the document table 2, and it is possible to specify, for example, an erasing range of the document using this spotlight.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement around the photosensitive drum 10. As shown in FIG. A charger 1 for charging is provided around the photoreceptor drum 10.
1, developing device 12, transfer charger 18, peeling charger 19
, a cleaner 26, a static elimination lamp 27, and an ozone detection sensor 70 are provided. A charger 11 for charging is provided near the upper part of the photosensitive drum 10 in the figure.
surface is charged. At the lower right side of the charging device 11, there is a developing device 12 that supplies toner to the surface of the photosensitive drum 10.
is provided. A transfer charger 18 is provided at the bottom of the figure to charge the paper P so that it comes into close contact with the photoreceptor drum 10, and a peeling charger 18 is provided adjacent to this charger 18 to separate the paper P from the photoreceptor drum 10. 19 are provided. The photosensitive drum 1 is located on the upper left side of the stripping charger 19 in the figure.
A cleaner 26 for removing residual toner attached to the
is provided. Drum 10 adjacent to cleaner 26
A static elimination lamp 27 is provided to erase afterimages on the surface.

An ozone detection sensor 70 is provided between the cleaner 26 and the static elimination lamp 27. The ozone detection sensor 70 outputs a detection signal to a control section 100, which will be described later, when ozone generated from the photoreceptor drum 10 and the like exceeds a reference value.

That is, the transparency of a liquid containing ozone and a liquid from which ozone has been removed through an ozone filter is compared, and it is determined based on the degree of transparency whether or not ozone exceeds a reference value.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing control of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.-0 The image forming apparatus includes the ozone detection sensor 70,
It has a control section 100 and a copy key 101.

The control unit 100 controls the entire device and is equipped with a microcomputer. The control unit 100
When a detection signal is input from the ozone detection sensor 70, the drive of the photoreceptor drum 10 and the like, which will be described later, is stopped and the fan motor 111 is rotationally driven.

A copy key 101 is provided on an operation panel (not shown), and a copy operation is started by pressing the key.

Further, the image forming apparatus includes a driver 103a and a driver 103b.

The driver 103a is connected to a first carriage drive motor 105, a spot light source drive motor 107, and a photosensitive drum drive motor 109, and is connected to the control unit 1.
When a drive signal is input from 00, each drive motor is driven and controlled. The driver 103b controls the fan motor 111 when a drive signal is input from the control unit 100.
is rotated to rotate the cooling fan 29. The driver 103b continues to rotate the fan motor 111 to exhaust the ozone 03 to the outside of the apparatus even when the detected ozone 03 exceeds the reference value.

This makes it possible to reduce the concentration of generated ozone o3 and prevent it from affecting images.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, the staff turns on the main switch to power on the copying machine main body 1. When the main switch is turned on, the control unit 100 outputs a drive signal to the driver 103a to drive the first carriage drive motor 105. The spot light source driving motor 107 is driven. motor 10
5 and the motor 107, the original placed on the original platen 2 is read, and the surface of the photoreceptor drum 10 is exposed to light to form a latent image. The formed latent image is developed by the developing device 12 and then transferred onto the sheet of paper and discharged onto the discharge tray 25 .

During the above copying operation, ozone 03 generated from the photoreceptor drum 10 and the like is guided to the ozone detection sensor 70, and the degree of transparency of the liquid not containing ozone and the liquid containing ozone is compared. When ozone exceeds the reference value, the ozone detection sensor 70 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 100. When the detection signal is input, the control unit 100 controls the driver 103
Interrupt the drive signal to a. When the drive signal is interrupted, the first carriage drive motor 105. Spot light source driving motor 107 and photosensitive drum driving motor 1
At step 09, the rotational drive is stopped and image formation is interrupted.

At this time, the control unit 100 continues to output a drive signal to the driver 103b, so that the fan motor 111 continues to rotate and the ozone generated is exhausted to the outside of the apparatus.

When the ozone is exhausted to the outside of the apparatus and the ozone concentration falls below the reference value, a drive signal is output to the IQ face section 100 and the driver 103a, and image formation is started again.

This prevents the influence of ozone from degrading the image quality.

As described above, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the invention.

C. Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, since image formation is stopped when ozone reaches a concentration that affects image quality, deterioration in image quality due to the influence of ozone can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a main part view of the side sectional view shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
The figure is a block diagram showing control of the image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1... Copying machine main body, 10... Photosensitive drum, 12...
-Developer, 26...Cooling fan, 7o...Ozone detection sensor, 100-...Control unit, 103a, 103
b-...Driver, 111...Fan motor. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image forming means for forming an image on an image bearing member; an ozone detection means for detecting the concentration of ozone generated by the image forming means and the image bearing member; means for stopping image formation by the image forming means, etc. when the density reaches a concentration that affects image formation by the image forming means; and means for supplying the ozone to the outside of the apparatus while image forming by the image forming means, etc. is stopped. An image forming apparatus comprising: means for evacuation; and an image forming apparatus.