JPH04314079A - electrophotographic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] This invention is applicable to printers, copiers, facsimile machines, etc., which use a laser to transfer an image formed on a photoreceptor to a sheet such as an envelope and record it. The present invention can be applied to an electrophotographic apparatus that records on a sheet using a method (method). Specifically, the present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus that eliminates static electricity from the surface of a photoreceptor by applying light from a static eliminator.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of electrophotographic apparatus, such as a laser printer, a photoreceptor 2 is provided at the center of the apparatus main body 1, as shown in FIG. After transferring the toner image onto the sheet 3, the sheet 3 is conveyed to a fixing device 4, where the image is fixed, while the light from the static eliminator 5 provided on the upper left side of the photoconductor 2 is transferred to the photoconductor 2.
There is a structure in which the transfer material is applied to the surface of the image to eliminate static electricity from the surface after the transfer (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-292166).

0003

However, according to this conventional configuration, in order to ensure that the light from the static eliminator 5 directly hits the surface of the photoreceptor 2, layout constraints are placed on the static eliminator 5. As a result, there is a problem in that miniaturization of the entire device is hindered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to reduce the size of the entire device without imposing layout constraints on the static eliminator.

[0005]

[Means for solving the problem] Therefore, this invention
For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment below, in an electrophotographic apparatus that applies light from a static eliminator 18 to neutralize the surface of the photoreceptor 11, the light from the static eliminator 18 is reflected to the surface of the photoreceptor 11. It is characterized in that it is provided with a reflecting part such as a reflecting plate 32 to be applied.

[0006] The reflective section is preferably provided in the image forming case 30 to which a plurality of electrophotographic process means such as the charger 12 are mounted.

[0007]Furthermore, a reflecting section may be provided in the fixing device 26.

[0008]

[Operation] According to the present invention, the light from the static eliminator 18 is reflected by the reflecting portion and applied to the surface of the photoreceptor 11 to eliminate static electricity from the surface.

[0009]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 shows a schematic structure of the internal mechanism of a laser printer which is an embodiment of the electrophotographic apparatus of the present invention. Reference numeral 10 in the figure is the main body of the apparatus. Device body 10
Inside, a drum-shaped photoreceptor 11 is provided at the center. Around the photoreceptor 11, a developing device 13 on the right, a transfer device 14 on the upper side, and a cleaning device 15 on the left are arranged in order from the charger 12 on the lower side in the rotational direction (counterclockwise) of the photoreceptor 11. do. An optical writing device 16 is provided below the charging device 12, the developing device 13, and the cleaning device 15. A static eliminator 18 is provided on the housing 17 of the optical writer 16 . A paper feed tray 19 is detachably attached to the lower side of the optical writer 16. There are sheets 20 in the paper feed tray 19.
to store. A paper feed path 22 is provided on the right side of the developing device 13 to guide the sheet 20 sent out by rotating the paper feed roller 21 upward, and guide the sheet 20 to the photoreceptor 11. A registration roller pair 24 is arranged in the middle of the paper feed path 22. On the other hand, a conveyor 25 is provided on the opposite side of the registration roller pair 24 with the transfer device 14 interposed therebetween, and a fixing device 26 is further provided beyond that. Fixing device 2
A paper ejection tray 27 is installed on the left side of 6.

When recording is performed by an electrophotographic process using the illustrated laser printer, the paper feed roller 21 is driven to rotate, and the sheets 20 are separated one by one from the paper feed tray 19 and transferred to the paper feed path 22. It is automatically fed out until its tip hits the pair of registration rollers 24 and is stopped.

On the other hand, the surface of the photoreceptor 11 is uniformly charged by the charger 12 while rotating counterclockwise in the figure.
Next, an optical writer 16 irradiates a laser beam to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface, and then, when passing through a developer 13, the electrostatic latent image is successively visualized by toner. Then, in synchronization with the visible image, the sheet 20, which had been in contact with the pair of registration rollers 24 described above, is sent out toward the photoreceptor 11. Therefore, the visible image on the photoreceptor 11 is
The image is transferred onto the sheet 20 by the transfer device 14. After the transfer, residual toner on the photoreceptor 11 is cleaned by a cleaning device 15. Subsequently, the charge remaining on the photoreceptor 11 is removed by a static eliminator 18.
Remove static electricity. Then, the above-mentioned charging, optical writing, development,
The image is transferred onto the sheet 20 by appropriately repeating the electrophotographic processes of transfer, cleaning, and charge removal. On the other hand, the sheet 20 is sent to a fixing device 26 by a conveyor 25,
The transferred image is fixed by the fixing device 26. Thereafter, the sheets 20 are conveyed and discharged onto the paper discharge tray 27 and stacked one after another.

By the way, in the above-mentioned laser printer, as shown in detail in FIG. It becomes. The image forming case 30 is removably provided in the apparatus main body 10, has a space 31 on the left side in the figure, and has a reflector (reflector) 32 mounted in a corner 30a above the space 31. The reflecting plate 32 is made of, for example, a high-brightness aluminum plate. A mirror made of glass or the like may also be used. A mounting portion 17 a is provided on the housing 17 located below the space 31 and slightly inclined toward the space 31 . Then, a static eliminator 18 composed of a light emitting diode is attached to this attachment part 17a.

When the surface of the photoreceptor 11 is to be neutralized, light from the lamp 18a of the static eliminator 18 (indicated by arrow A in FIG. 1) is reflected by the reflection plate 32 and applied to the surface of the photoreceptor 11.

Now, in the illustrated embodiment described above, the reflection plate 32 is attached to the image forming case 30, and the light from the static eliminator 18 is reflected by the reflection plate 32. For example, FIG.
For example, as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to have a configuration in which aluminum foil 35 is pasted on the inner surface of a. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a corner 30a of the image forming case 30
The inner surface may be plated with nickel 36. Alternatively, the image forming case itself may be polished to give it a glossy appearance, and a reflective portion may be formed to reflect light from the static eliminator.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment described above, a reflecting portion such as the reflecting plate 32 is provided in the image forming case 30, but it is also possible to provide a reflecting portion in an electrophotographic process means such as the fixing device 26. It is also possible to do this.

[0016]

[Effects of the Invention] Therefore, according to the present invention, since the light from the static eliminator is reflected by the reflecting part and applied to the surface of the photoreceptor, the static eliminator does not have to be placed on a straight line passing through the static neutralization position. This eliminates constraints on the layout of the static eliminator and allows the device to be made more compact. Furthermore, it is possible to install the static eliminator away from a location where toner is scattered, and thereby it is possible to prevent the static eliminator from becoming dirty with toner and reducing the static elimination effect.

According to the invention as set forth in claims 2 and 3, since the plurality of electrophotographic process means or the image forming case to which they are attached are provided with the reflecting portion, it is necessary to take them out and clean the reflecting portions. Maintenance can be easily performed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an enlarged main part of a laser printer which is an embodiment of an electrophotographic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing another example of the reflective section in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing still another example of the reflective section in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an overall schematic configuration diagram showing the internal mechanism of the laser printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the internal mechanism of a conventional laser printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Photoreceptor 18 Static eliminator 26 Fixing device 30 Imaging case 32 Reflector plate (reflector) 35 Aluminum foil (reflective part) 36 Nickel plating (reflective part)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electrophotographic apparatus that eliminates static electricity on the surface of a photoreceptor by applying light from a static eliminator, the electrophotographic apparatus comprising: a reflecting part that reflects the light from the static eliminator and applies it to the surface of the photoreceptor; Photographic equipment. 2. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting section is provided in an image forming case to which a plurality of electrophotographic process means are attached. 3. The fixing device is provided with the reflecting section,
The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1.