JPH0312314B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a process kit detachably supported on the image forming apparatus.

Conventionally, in image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, filter members are fixed midway through the optical path of the image forming apparatus, either in front of a light source that illuminates a document, or in the rear part of an optical element system such as a lens or short-focus small-diameter optical element. It was provided.

In such a configuration, the filter member becomes contaminated by developer scattered during repeated copying operations, dust entering from the outside, and the like. In addition, the optical elements and the like were also affected. For this reason, it is necessary to periodically inspect and clean it, and if left unattended, it will affect the bouquet that forms the image, making it impossible to obtain beautiful reproduced images. Further, conventionally, the filter member has a function of correcting the wavelength of light according to the spectral sensitivity of the photosensitive drum.

Therefore, if you want to obtain a copy image of any color on the original, you must either replace the filter member or incorporate multiple filters and move them according to the original, which makes the operation difficult. It was troublesome and had the drawbacks of increasing the size of the machine.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and provides a new and excellent process kit that can be freely attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus.

That is, the process kit of the present invention includes a photoreceptor;
It is characterized by having a toner storage section, a cover that integrally houses the photoreceptor and the toner storage section and has an exposure opening formed therein, and a scattering prevention filter provided in the exposure opening of the cover. shall be.

Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be explained using specific examples with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a specific example image forming apparatus based on the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a document mounting table made of a transparent member, which moves back and forth in the direction of the arrow. 2 is a short focus small diameter imaging element array, and 3 is a photosensitive drum. A document image placed on a document table 1 is slit-exposed onto a photosensitive drum. A charger 4 uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 3. The uniformly charged photosensitive drum 3 is subjected to image exposure by the element array 2 to form an electrostatic image. Next, the image is visualized by the developing device 5. On the other hand, the transfer paper P is fed into the apparatus from the paper feed stand on the right side of the figure, and is placed on the drum 3 by a registration roller 7 that rotates at a timing that registers the image on the paper feed roller 6 and the photosensitive drum 3. sent. Next, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 3 is transferred onto transfer paper by the transfer charger 8.
Thereafter, the transfer paper P separated from the drum 3 is guided to a fixing device 10 by a guide 9, and after the toner image on the transfer paper is fixed, it is discharged onto a tray 12 by a paper discharge roller 11.

Further, the photosensitive drum 3, the charger 4, the developer 5, the cleaner 13, and the filter 16 are housed together in a cover to form a process kit 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the kit 14 can be freely inserted into and removed from the main body of the apparatus. In FIG. 2, the kit 14 is shown without a cover to show the individual units. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the process kit 14 with the cover attached. 17 is a kit cover, and 15 is a window provided on the kit cover so that the drum 3 is irradiated with light for photoimage exposure. 16 is a filter member. 18 is a handle for attaching and detaching the kit from the main body of the apparatus. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the process kit, showing how the filter member 16 is in close contact with the exposure opening 15 of the process kit. That is, the cover substantially seals the inside of the kit except for the transfer section.

Therefore, there is no fear that developer powder or the like will be scattered from the exposure opening in the process kit to the element array. In addition, since a filter is provided for each process kit, a filter suitable for each process kit can be selected. Furthermore, when the process kit is replaced, the filter member is also replaced at the same time.

As described above in detail in the specific example, the photosensitive drum and the surrounding process means, that is, the charger, the developing means, the cleaning means, etc., are integrally and removably supported, and these are covered with a cover to form a process kit. This eliminates the possibility that the optical means such as the optical element array will be adversely affected by the developer that may be scattered and floated from the developing means or the cleaning means. Furthermore, since the optical image exposure opening can be sealed with a filter member, the above effect can be further enhanced.

Moreover, since the process unit is replaced after a predetermined period of use, even if the filter member becomes dirty, it can be replaced when the dirt is within a certain limit, that is, within the practical range, which is extremely suitable for practical use. .

Therefore, the apparatus of the present invention is excellent in that it can always form good images.

Further, since a filter member is provided for each process unit, a filter member suitable for the photosensitive drum of that unit can be selected effectively. Moreover, it is easy to configure a process unit equipped with a filter member to obtain a desired copy image for color originals, and a wide variety of process units can be made, making it an excellent product that can be used in a wide range of applications. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a specific example image forming apparatus based on the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same apparatus, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a process kit section, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a process kit section. In the figure, 1: Original table, 2: Short focus small diameter imaging element array, 3: Photosensitive drum, 4: Charger (charging means), 5: Developing device (developing means), 14: Process kit, 16: Filter Part 17: Kit cover.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A photoconductor, a toner storage section, a cover that integrally houses the photoconductor and the toner storage section and has an exposure opening formed therein, and a scattering prevention device provided in the exposure opening of the cover. A process kit that includes a filter and is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus.