JPH0361942B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or an image recording apparatus, and a process kit that can be attached to and removed from the apparatus.

Hereinafter, an explanation will be given using an electrophotographic copying machine as an example.

Conventionally, in electrophotographic copying machines, it is necessary to periodically replace the photoreceptor as an image carrier, replenish developer, dispose of waste toner, clean charging wires, and replace and adjust various consumable parts. These services were carried out by professional service personnel. Therefore, a service person had to come each time, which was extremely troublesome.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce maintenance work by constructing a process kit that integrates image forming parts such as a photosensitive drum, developer, cleaner, and charger, and replacing each image forming part at the same time when replacing the photosensitive drum. It is considered. By adopting the above-mentioned configuration, the user can easily replace each process-related image forming part that requires periodic maintenance, and the maintenance work by service personnel can be reduced.

However, since the charging means is provided in the process kit, discharge generated substances such as ozone may accumulate in the process kit and react with the surface layer of the photosensitive drum. As a result, the photosensitive drum deteriorates,
Images may become blurry or extremely blurry. In addition, not only the photosensitive drum deteriorates, but also metals such as the shield plate of the charger corrode, making the discharge unstable and causing problems such as uneven discharge.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent deterioration of the photoreceptor and corrosion of metal objects in the process kit by devising a configuration for exhausting discharge generated substances such as ozone accumulated in the process kit.

That is, the present invention provides a process kit that is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, in which an image forming component is covered with an exterior member and supported and incorporated within the exterior member, and the image forming component built into the process kit includes at least an electronic component. A photographic photoreceptor and a charging means for charging the photoreceptor; the exterior member has an opening that corresponds to the exhaust flow path on the image forming apparatus main body side when the process kit is attached to the image forming apparatus main body; The process kit is characterized in that there is an air flow path communicating from the charging means to the opening in the process kit.

The present invention also provides an image forming apparatus in which a process kit in which an image forming component is covered with an exterior member and supported and incorporated within the exterior member is detachable, and the image forming component built into the process kit is at least an electrophotographic photoreceptor. Charging means for charging the photoreceptor; the exterior member has an opening that corresponds to the exhaust flow path on the image forming apparatus main body side when the process kit is attached to the image forming apparatus main body; and the exterior member is charged within the exterior member. There is an air flow path leading from the means to the opening, the image forming apparatus main body has a guide means for removably guiding the process kit, and the exhaust flow path on the image forming apparatus main body side includes an air flow path leading from the process kit exterior. a filter for passing air containing discharge-generated substances exiting from the opening of the member; and a filter for allowing air to flow from the air flow path in the process kit to exit the process kit through the opening and further passing through the filter. An image forming apparatus is characterized in that it has a fan for forming an image.

First, an embodiment of a copying machine to which the present invention can be applied will be described.

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of the main body C of the copying machine.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a document mounting table made of a transparent member, which reciprocates in the left-right direction in the drawing. Reference numeral 2 denotes a short focus and small diameter imaging element array, in which a document placed on the document table 1 is exposed to light emitted from an illumination device 13 and passed through a color sensitivity correction filter 14 having a heat insulating effect. The image is slit exposed onto the photosensitive drum 3. 4 is a charger, and photosensitive drum 3
Uniformly charge the top. This uniformly charged drum 3 is subjected to image exposure by the short focus and small diameter imaging element array 2 to form an electrostatic latent image. This electrostatic latent image is then developed into a developed image by a developing device 5.

On the other hand, the sheet P on the paper feed stand is fed onto the drum 3 by a feed roller 6 and a register roller 7 that rotates in synchronization with the image on the photosensitive drum 3. Then, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 3 is transferred onto the sheet P by the transfer charger 8. Thereafter, the sheet P separated from the drum 3 is guided to a fixing device 10 by a guide 9, and after the toner image on the sheet P is fixed,
The paper is discharged onto a tray 12 by a discharge roller 11 .

In this embodiment, a process kit 16 is constructed by integrally assembling a photosensitive drum 3, a charger 4, a developing device 5, and a cleaner 15. This process kit 16 is provided so that it can be inserted into and removed from the main body C, and when loading it into the main body C, the process kit 16 is inserted into the main body side guide
7, the protrusions 16a and 16b of the process kit 16
are engaged and guided.

The exterior member 30 of the process kit 16 is provided with an opening 18 as shown in FIG.
When the process kit 16 is loaded into the main body C, the opening 18 is arranged to face and match the position of an ozone filter 19 provided on the main body side. Furthermore, gaps 4a are provided between the shield plate of the charger 4 in the process kit 16 and the kit exterior member 30 and between the charger 4 and the photosensitive drum 3 in order to discharge ozone generated in the charger. ing. and,
The air around the charger 4 is sucked into the cooling fan 20 provided in the exhaust flow on the main body C side, and the gap 4a is formed in the process kit 16 and between the cleaner 15 and the process kit exterior member 30. The air flows through the duct (air flow path) 21 as shown by the arrow in FIG. Furthermore, the partition plate 22 on the main body side surrounding the process kit 16 is in a sealed state except for the installation opening for the ozone filter 19.
The airflow passing through the duct 21 is drawn into the fan 20 only through the ozone filter 19 and is guided thereto, that is, the ozone generated in the charger 4 always passes through the ozone filter 19.

Therefore, ozone is reliably removed by the ozone filter 19. The air that has entered the main body C from the process kit 16 is passed through the fan 20 along with the heated air around the lighting device 13 from the axial end side of the fan (the side perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1) to the main body. C is exhausted outside.

As described above, in the present invention, an air flow path is formed from the discharge means in the process kit that can be inserted into and removed from the main body of the image forming apparatus to the main body, and the ozone filter 19 is provided in this air flow path. It is possible to reliably remove ozone generated from As a result, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the photoreceptor in the process kit 16 and corrosion of metal objects such as charging wires due to ozone, and it is possible to always obtain clear images by eliminating discharge unevenness.

Furthermore, by providing the ozone decomposition filter 19 in the main body of the apparatus rather than in the process kit, the filter can be used repeatedly regardless of whether the process kit is replaced, and there is no need to worry about forgetting to replace the filter.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 23 denotes a handle provided on the end surface of the process kit 16. The process kit 16 is attached to and detached from the main body C by grasping the handle 23 and moving the process kit 16 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional front view of an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a process kit that is detachably loaded into the apparatus. C is the main body, 3 is a photosensitive drum (image carrier), 4 is a discharge means (charger), 16 is a process kit, 3
0 is the kit exterior member, 18 is the opening, and 19 is the ozone filter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A process kit that can be detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, in which an image forming component is covered with an exterior member and supported and incorporated within the exterior member, and the image forming component built into the process kit is At least an electrophotographic photoreceptor and a charging means for charging the photoreceptor, and the exterior member has an opening corresponding to an exhaust flow path on the image forming apparatus main body side when the process kit is attached to the image forming apparatus main body. . A process kit, characterized in that there is an air flow path communicating from the charging means to the opening in the exterior member. 2. An image forming apparatus includes a removable process kit in which an image forming component is covered with an exterior member and supported and incorporated within the exterior member, and the image forming component built into the process kit is at least connected to an electrophotographic photoreceptor and the photoreceptor. The charging means performs charging, and the exterior member has an opening corresponding to the exhaust flow path on the image forming apparatus main body side when the process kit is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, and the charging means is connected to the opening within the exterior member. The image forming apparatus main body has a guide means for removably guiding the process kit, and the exhaust flow path on the image forming apparatus main body side includes the opening of the process kit exterior member. a filter for passing air containing discharge generated substances discharged from the process kit; and a fan for forming an air flow from the air passage in the process kit to the outside of the process kit through the opening and further passing through the filter. An image forming apparatus comprising: