JPH0596798A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To form an image recording device that can be configured in a small space and whose functions can be easily expanded. A base unit 1 in which an electric control device 12 and a heater member 13 are housed in one case 11, and an image forming unit 2 in which image forming members 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 are housed. A case 43 having a paper feed port 41 and a paper discharge port 42 is detachably attached to a carrying unit that houses a carrying means 47. [Effect] It is possible to replace each unit, and various color image forming functions can be obtained by additionally replacing the image forming unit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording device such as a printer, a copying machine and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional electrophotographic image recording apparatus, as shown in FIG. 12, an outer cover 5 forming the apparatus is used.
A method of storing the photoconductor, the developing unit, the cleaning unit, etc. inside 01 individually or collectively as one image forming unit 502 so as to be detachably attached is, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No.
It is known from JP-A 4-20832, JP-A-59-99861, JP-A-1-27305 and the like.

With these conventional devices, the effects of facilitating the replacement of consumables, facilitating the replacement of the analog image forming system and the digital image forming system, etc. were obtained. However, there is a drawback in that the functional expansion of the image recording apparatus is limited only by the partial change. In addition, since the appearance does not change even if the inside changes, it is not easy to confirm the change in the inside from the outside, and there is a problem that operation mistakes and misprints frequently occur.

In order to solve this problem, the applicant of the present invention has not yet publicly known, but the applicant of the present invention is Japanese Patent Application No. 2-64271 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2-24271.
An image recording device was proposed by No. 234753.

[0005]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, develops the above-mentioned proposal of the present application, and can be constructed with a small cost and a small space,
An object is to provide an image recording device whose functions can be easily expanded.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above problems by at least an electric control device, a base unit in which a heater member for fixing a visible image is housed in one case, and an image based on an image signal. Conveyance for conveying the recording paper, which is put into the paper feed port, to the paper ejection port in one case having an image forming unit in which each constituent member forming the A transport unit storing means, and the image forming unit and the transport unit are detachably coupled to the base unit, and the transport means is capable of transporting the recording paper to the heater member when coupled. The image recording device is characterized in that the image forming unit and the transport unit are operated by the electrical control device.

[0007]

According to the present invention, one or a plurality of image forming units are connected side by side to a base unit which houses a mechanical drive mechanism including an electric control unit, a heater member for fixing, and a motor if necessary. A transport unit provided with a transport means for transporting the recording paper is coupled to the base unit and each image forming unit, and the image forming unit and the transport unit are operated by an electric control device in the base unit. A recording member conveyed by the conveying unit or a conveying unit capable of directly transferring a visible image is fixed by a heater member in the base unit. The fixing means were stored in the substrate unit, saving space.

When the transport unit is also used as the display unit and the transport belt is provided with the dielectric belt, the recording sheet can be sucked and transported, and the stable transportation of the recording sheet provides a good image, and the image is directly displayed. It is also possible to display the image on the display unit and obtain a good image by the stable conveyance of the recording paper. It is also possible to directly display the image on the display unit, and it is possible to enhance the function.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

1 and 2, the image forming unit 2 is detachably connected to the base unit 1, and the transport display unit 3 is detachably connected to each of the base unit 1 and the image forming unit 2. In the illustrated example, one image forming unit 2 is connected on the base unit 1, but
It is also possible to connect a plurality of image forming units 2 or to arrange them side by side instead of vertically.

The base unit 1 mainly constitutes a control unit, and the control in the base unit 1 also controls the image forming unit 2 and the transport display unit 3.

In the case 11 of the base unit 1, a substrate 12 and an image forming system including an electric control device such as a CPU, an interface, and a signal memory, and a drive system circuit for operating the system in each unit and a fixing unit are fixed. Heater member 13 as means and heater member driving motor 1
3a is stored.

If required, a mechanical drive can be provided.

In the base unit 1, in addition to the circuit board 12, the heater member 13, the driving motor 13a, a power source 15 for supplying electric power to the electric parts is further provided.

In the case of the base unit 1 alone, the heater member 13 is housed inside the case 1 and is shielded from the outside by the opening / closing cover 16. When the transport display unit 3 is attached, the opening / closing cover 16 is opened, and the heater member 13 projects from the opening of the case 1 to enter the fixing operation state. The open / close cover 16 is closed when only the base unit 1 is transported, or when the transport display unit is removed during recording paper jam or maintenance.

The image forming unit 2 includes a photosensitive belt 22 housed in a case 21, a charging member 23, a writing member 24, a developing member 25, and a cleaning blade arranged along a traveling path of the photosensitive belt 22. The photoconductor cleaning member 26 and the initialization member 27, which are provided as an example, are included. The photoconductor belt 22 is wound around the first belt roller 28 and the second belt roller 29, and is tensioned and driven.

The writing member 24 includes a fluorescent tube array (FL).
DA) or laser light scanning means can be used.

The photoconductor belt 22 charged by the charging member 23 forms an electrostatic latent image by the writing member 24 and is visualized by the developing member 25, such as recording paper at the transfer position or a conveyor belt described later. The photoconductor belt 22 that has been transferred to the recording member and after the transfer is cleaned by the photoconductor cleaning member 26, the latent image is made uniform by the initialization member 27, and a new image forming process is started.

In the image forming unit 2, the photosensitive belt 2
2 is arranged above, and the charging member 23, the writing member 24,
The photoconductor cleaning member 26 and the initialization member 27 are arranged below. The developing member 25 is also arranged so as to be located as low as possible. A portion of the case 21 close to the photoconductor belt 22 is subjected to a conductive treatment to prevent toner from adhering thereto, and a voltage is applied to the surface portion of the conductive treatment to increase the effect, if necessary.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base unit 1 is provided with a drive motor 14 separately or in combination with the drive motor 13a for the heater member 13, and the drive force of the drive motor 14 is transmitted to the image forming unit 2. A mechanical motorized device 1 for
It is also possible to adopt a structure in which 7 is provided. In this case, the mechanical transmission device 17 is provided with a transmission shaft 18 and a drive gear 19 fixed to the transmission shaft 18, for example, a bevel gear.
A transmission gear 30 provided in the image forming unit 2, for example, a bevel gear meshes with the gear 9. It is also possible to fix a second drive gear 19 ′ for driving the next image forming unit 2 and a drive gear for the next image forming unit on the transmission shaft 18.
The transmission gears 30 of the respective image forming units mesh with the respective drive gears 19 and 19 '.

The transmission gear 30 in each image forming unit 2 is fixed to the transmission shaft 32 of the acceleration / deceleration mechanism 31, for example. The acceleration / deceleration mechanism 31 can be formed as a structure including, for example, a worm 33 fixed to the transmission shaft 32, a worm gear 34 meshing with the worm 33, and other transmission mechanisms such as a clutch and a solenoid.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the mechanical transmission device 17, which has an arbitrary structure as long as the driving force can be transmitted from the base unit 1 to the image forming unit 2 and further to the transport display unit 3. Can be used.

The image forming unit 2 by the mechanical transmission device 17.
Rotating members such as the belt rollers 28 and 29, the developing sleeve 25a of the developing member 25, and the like are driven, and further, the rollers and the like of the transport display unit 3 are driven if necessary.

The transport display unit 3 has a paper feed port 41.
And a case 43 having a paper discharge port 42.
3 includes a first roller 44, a second roller 45, and an auxiliary roller 4
6 is arranged, and the conveyor belt 47 includes the first roller 44 and the second roller.
The roller 45 and the auxiliary roller 46 are sequentially wound around and rotated around.

The conveyor belt 47 is formed as a dielectric belt, and the potential forming roller 48 arranged to face the first roller 44 contacts the dielectric belt 47, at least the surface of which is made of a conductor, and a voltage is applied. Potential forming roller 4
8, an electrostatic pattern is formed on the dielectric belt 47, and the recording paper can be attracted to the transport belt 47 by electrostatic force. The surface of the first roller 44 is also made of a conductor, and an electric field is formed between the potential forming roller 48 and the first roller 44. Positive and negative potentials are formed in a convenient pattern such as a striped pattern or a checkered pattern as the electrostatic pattern.
To attract the recording paper, an AC voltage of, for example, 1 to 2 KV is applied to the potential forming roller 48. Therefore, the AC voltage biased by the DC voltage is supplied from the power source to the potential forming roller 4
8 is applied.

The recording paper inserted from the paper feed port 41 is fed by the feeding roller 49, adsorbed on the feeding belt 47 and fed. The recording paper is transferred at a transfer position of each image forming unit 2, for example, a position in contact with the first belt roller 28 during the transfer by the transfer belt 47. The transfer roller 54 as a transfer unit that transfers the visible image on the photoconductor belt 22 at the transfer position for each image forming unit 2 can also be provided in the case 43 of the transport display unit 3 so as to also serve as a guide roller. The transfer roller 54 transfers the visible image on the photosensitive belt 22 by pressing the recording paper against the first belt roller 28. A DC voltage having a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner is applied to the transfer roller 54.

It is also possible to directly transfer to the conveying belt 47 formed of a white dielectric belt instead of the recording paper. In this case, since it is not necessary to suck and convey the recording paper, no voltage is applied to the potential forming roller 48 and the electric field formation on the conveying belt 47 is released. A display window 50 formed on the case 43 as a display unit so that an image directly transferred to the conveyor belt 47 can be observed from the outside,
That is, the opening is provided, and the image can be visually observed by stopping the portion of the conveyor belt 47 on which the image is recorded facing the display window 50 or moving the portion to a predetermined distance.

The image on the recording paper or on the conveyor belt 47 transferred by each image forming unit 2 is the base unit 1.
Is heated by a heater member 13 such as a heater roller and, if necessary, pressed and fixed. The second roller 45 of the transport display unit 3 is also used as a pressure roller for the heater member 13 of the fixing member, but a structure in which a pressure roller is separately provided may be used.

Since fixing the toner image on the recording paper requires more heat than fixing the toner image on the conveyor belt 47, the temperature of the heater member 13 is higher when fixing the recording paper and the conveyor belt is It is possible to switch the temperature of the heater member 13 to a low temperature in the case of fixing. This is because the smoothness of the recording paper surface is worse than that of the dielectric belt, so that an air layer is formed between the recording paper and the heater member, and the heat transfer to the toner is deteriorated. When recording directly on the conveyor belt 47,
It is preferable to melt only the toner, reduce the fusion between the dielectric belt and the toner as much as possible, and lower the temperature for fixing the toner image on the dielectric belt in order to prevent cleaning failure. In this case, it is preferable to lower the temperature of the heater member 13.

The recording paper after fixing is discharged from the paper discharge port 42 through the guide 51, and the conveyor belt 47 having the image after fixing displays the image in the display window 50.

After fixing, the conveying belt 47 which has passed through the display window 50 is guided by the deflecting roller 52 to the auxiliary roller 46, and the cleaning blade 53 'of the cleaning member 53 arranged to face the auxiliary roller 46.
After being cleaned by the above, the process from the operation by the potential forming roller 48 is repeated. The cleaning blade 53 'uses a rubber material, a polymer material, or a metal plate having a high hardness in order to clean the toner image adhered and fixed to the conveyor belt 47 composed of a dielectric belt. A fur brush or another cleaning member may be used instead of the cleaning blade. It is preferable that the cleaning member is not always brought into contact with the conveyor belt 47, but only when necessary.

The display window 50 can be opened at all times, but it is provided with an opening / closing lid, closed when recording an image on a recording sheet, and displayed when the image is directly recorded on the conveyor belt 47 and observed from the outside. It may also be possible to switch to open window 50.

The transport display unit 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown in FIG. 4 particularly when it is not necessary to perform image recording on the transport belt for visual observation other than image recording on recording paper. As described above, it is possible to change to the transport unit 3'considering only the transport of the recording paper.

In the case of the transport unit 3 ', a case 43' in which the opening as the display window 50 of the case 43 is not provided is used. In this case, since the structure is almost the same as that of the transport display unit of FIG. 2 except that the positions of the constituent members are changed as necessary, the same or corresponding members are designated by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. To do. Since the display window 50 is not needed,
The circumference of the conveyor belt 47 can be shortened. The cleaning member 53 is arranged to face the second roller 45 because the condition of cleaning after display by the display window is not necessary, and thus the auxiliary roller 46 of FIG. 2 is unnecessary. Of course, as in FIG. 2, the auxiliary roller 46
It is also possible to provide the cleaning member 53 and arrange the cleaning member 53 in the same manner.

FIG. 4 shows a transport unit 3'suitable for an image recording apparatus using only one image forming unit 2, whereas FIG. 5 is suitable for an image recording apparatus utilizing two image forming units 2. 2 shows the transport unit 3 ″, and the base unit 1 and the image forming unit 2 ′ are the same as those in the example of FIG.

In the example of FIG. 4, the first roller 44 is also used as the transfer roller at the transfer position in the image forming unit 2, and the second roller 45 is pressed against the heater member 13 and also used as the pressure roller of the fixing member. On the other hand, in the example of FIG. 5, only the image forming unit 2 is added, and a guide roller acting as the transfer roller 54 is added, which is a difference in configuration.

In contrast to the structure in which the constituent members of the image forming unit 2 are driven by the mechanical driving device provided in the base unit 1,
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each image forming unit 2'may be provided with a drive unit 4 which is detachably coupled.

The drive unit 4 has a motor 62 housed in a case 61, and a speed reducer 63 connected to the output shaft of the motor 62, and a gear 64 is attached to the output shaft of the speed reducer. The gear 64 is configured to mesh with a gear (not shown) provided in the image forming unit 2'when attached to the image forming unit 2 '. The configuration and the like of each image forming component can be basically the same as that of the image forming unit 2 in FIG. 2 except the configuration related to the gears in the image forming unit 2'and the belt roller 29 and the like. A drive control device 65 including an electric circuit for drive control of the motor 62 is provided in the case 61, and constituent members such as solenoids can be housed in the drive control device as necessary. In this case, a motor for driving the first roller 44 or the second roller 45 is housed in the case 43 in the transport display unit 3 or the transport units 3 ', 3 ", and the base unit 1 is driven by a heater as a drive device. Only the members related to the motor 13a are provided.

In the case 61, as shown in FIG.
A slide groove 66 is provided so as to perform relative positioning when assembling the image forming unit 2 and surely assembling, and an engaging protrusion (not shown) provided on the case 21 of the image forming unit 2 is slid on the slide groove 66. Can be configured to operate.

When driven by the drive motor 14 provided in the base unit 1, the load changes if the number of connected image forming units 2 changes, and it is necessary to prepare a large motor. Drive unit 4 for each '
If the motors are connected to each other, it is possible to use a motor whose load is almost fixed and which matches the load of the image forming unit 2 ', and it is possible to eliminate waste in terms of the size, weight and price of the structure of the drive unit. The capacity of the motor will not be insufficient.

Since it is difficult to perform relative positioning between the drive unit 4 and the image forming unit 2'by simply abutting each other on a plane, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a stepped portion is formed to form an L-shaped case. Is used, the step 21 engages with the case 21 of the image forming unit 2, and the case 61 of the drive unit 4
Not only the relative positioning and assembling work with the gears of the drive unit 4 but also the meshing positioning of the gear 64 of the drive unit 4 and the corresponding gear of the image forming unit 2 become easy.

Although the number of image forming units 2 to be connected can be arbitrarily selected, the drive unit 4 is connected to each image forming unit individually, whereas the number of connected image forming units 2 is frequently used. It is also possible to configure as many drive units 4 as one unit in advance.

The transport display unit 3 is configured to be fixed to the base unit 1 and the image forming unit 2. In contrast to the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the transport display unit 3 can be opened and closed as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. You can also

In this case, the case 43 of the transport display unit 3 having the same structure as that shown in FIG.
1 is pivotally attached in a one-sided manner. The base unit 1 and the image forming unit 2 are detachably fixed to the frame body 5. This configuration can also be applied to the case where the image forming unit 2 is horizontally arranged and connected to the base unit 1.

A handle 72 is attached to the case 43 to facilitate opening and closing operations. A hook 73 is provided on the surface of the case 43 facing the image forming unit 2, and is provided on the cases 11 and 21 of each image forming unit 2 and the base unit 1 when the case 43 is closed as shown in FIG. By engaging with the hook holes 74, the positioning operation and the locking operation of the base unit 1, the image forming unit 2, and the transport display unit 3 can be performed.

This structure can also be applied to the case of the transport unit 3'shown in FIGS.

When the case 43 is opened as shown in FIG. 9, maintenance and inspection of the transfer position of the image forming unit 2 and the heater portion 13 of the base unit 1 and replacement of parts and supplies can be easily performed.

The base unit 1 and the image forming unit 2 are connected to the frame 5.
In the structure of connecting to, a connector is used to electrically connect the base unit 1 to each of the image forming unit 2 and the transport display unit 3 (or the transport unit 3 ').

As an example, as shown in FIG. 10, the connector 75 engages with a groove 76 formed in the frame 5 and extending vertically,
It is slidably and rotatably guided in the groove 76, and is engaged so as not to separate from the groove 76.

The connector 75 has a rectangular head portion 75a and can be slidably inserted into a connector groove 77 formed on the side surface of the case 21 of each image forming unit 2. Since the head portion 75a has a quadrangular shape, the head portion 75a does not rotate relative to the case 21 of the image forming unit 2, and moreover, by fitting the head portion 75a into the contact receiving portion 78 formed of the recess formed at the end of the connecting groove 77, 2 which is the transfer position of
Even if 1a is pulled up, the case 21 is held in engagement with the connector portion 21 by the action of gravity and does not easily fall off. The connector 75 can be easily rotated by, for example, the angle θ in accordance with the tilt of the image forming unit 2.

The head portion 75a of the connector 75 can be formed in a circular shape as long as the image forming unit 2 does not fall off and the one end portion of the working unit 2 can be tilted smoothly when it moves up and down. .. In this case, the connector 75 can rotate relative to the image forming unit 2 without rotating.

The recording device using the conveyance display unit 3 shown in FIG. 2 can record an image on a recording sheet by a signal from an input device of a personal computer or a word processor, and can record an image on a conveyor belt and display it. It can be configured such that either of the above cases is always prioritized and activated.

As an example, when giving priority to the display, the display display mode is set when no recording paper is fed into the paper feed port 41 of the case 41.

Further, a mode switching button or switch that can be operated by the operator is provided so that the operator can switch.

The flow chart shown in FIG. 11 shows the case where both the feeding state of the recording paper and the mode switching button operated by the operator are provided.

FIG. 11 shows the control after the power supply of the apparatus is applied, the initial confirmation operation is completed, and the apparatus enters the standby state.

In the standby state, the cleaning member 53 for the conveyor belt 47, which is a dielectric belt, and the heater member 1 are used.
6. The potential forming roller 48 is separated from the conveyor belt 22. No information is displayed on the display window 50. The heater member 13 is also controlled by the standby temperature.

There is data transfer from the input device, and the operation of the device starts. First, the flow is determined by detecting the selection of the print mode for recording on the recording paper or the display mode for recording on the conveyor belt. In the print mode, control is performed according to the flow flowing directly below in FIG. 11, and in the display mode, control is performed according to the flow branched to the right in the figure.

In the print mode, the temperature of the heater member 13 is set high for the above reason. After temperature detection and setting, it is detected whether recording paper is set in the paper feed port 41,
If it is not set, the recording paper is urged, and if it is set, the potential forming roller 48 is pressed against the conveyor belt 47, and a voltage is applied to the potential forming roller 48. Simultaneously with the pressure contact of the potential forming roller or at a slightly earlier timing, the conveyor belt 47 and the members inside the image forming unit 2 are driven to start the image forming process. Further, the heater member 13 in the base unit 1
Of the cleaning blade 5 of the cleaning member 53 of the transportation display unit 3 by pressing the cleaning blade 5 against the transportation belt 47.
3'is pressed against the conveyor belt 47.

In the image forming process, the feeding roller 49 is rotationally driven at the timing when the leading edge of the recording paper substantially coincides with the potential forming start position on the conveyor belt 47 when the voltage is applied to the potential forming roller 48, and the recording is performed. The paper is conveyed while being in close contact with the conveyor belt 47. When the conveyor belt 47 moves by the length of the recording paper, the voltage application to the potential forming roller 48 is released.

In the image forming unit 2, a latent image is formed on the photosensitive belt 22 in accordance with the movement of the leading edge of the recording paper, visualized, and the visualized image is rotated to the transfer position.

The recording paper is transferred at the transfer position of each image forming unit 2 under the action of the transfer roller 54, nipped between the heater member 13 and the second roller 5 to be fixed, and ejected from the paper ejection port 42. It

The image forming process is completed when it is detected that the rear end of the recording paper has come out of the paper discharge port. If the paper does not come out of the paper ejection port within a predetermined time, a paper jam is displayed. If a print signal is input after the paper is discharged, the image forming process is continuously repeated from the recording paper detection.

When there is no next print signal after the sheet is discharged, the heater member 13 and the potential forming roller 48 are released, the conveyor belt 47 is rotated once to stop, and the cleaning member is released to enter the standby state. Further, as a modification of this, when there is no print signal after paper discharge, the heater member 13 is released from the conveyor belt, and the conveyor belt 47 is rotated until the released position reaches the blade 53 'of the cleaning member 53 of the conveyor belt, At that point, the cleaning member 53 and the potential forming roller 48 are released to be released from the conveyor belt 47,
It is also possible to configure all to stop and wait.

In the display mode, the temperature of the heater member is detected to be lower than that in the print mode for the reason described above, and after setting, the conveying belt 47 and the rotating member of the image forming unit 2 are driven to perform the image forming process. Start, and the heater member 16 and the cleaning member 53 cause the conveyor belt 47 to
Is pressed against.

The potential forming roller 48 is in a state of being released from the conveyor belt 47 and released.

A visible image formed in the image forming unit 2 in the same manner as in the print mode is directly transferred to the conveyor belt 47 at the transfer position under the action of the transfer roller 54. The leading edge of the image forming is determined by the distance from the developing sleeve 25a of the developing member 25 of the image forming unit 2 to the transfer roller 54. It is also possible to configure so as to form an image in accordance with the display leading end position engraved on the conveyor belt.

The transfer belt 47 after transfer is the heater member 13
The toner image is fixed while passing through the nip position by the second roller 45, and is rotated and stopped to the display stop position of the display window 50, and the heater member 13 is released.

Next, when the signal of the display mode is input, the next image forming step is started after the display state is maintained for a certain time or by the instruction of the operator.

In the next image forming step, the cleaning member 53
Is pressed against the conveyor belt 47, the peripheral rotation of the conveyor belt 47 is started, and the above image forming process is repeated. When the image forming process is repeated many times, the pressure contact state of the cleaning member continues.

Next, when the display mode signal is not input, after the display state is maintained for a certain period of time, the cleaning member 53 is brought into pressure contact with the conveyor belt 47, and the heater member 1 is pressed.
3. The potential forming roller 48 is released, the conveyor belt 47 is rotated once around, and the conveyor belt 47 is stopped and the cleaning member 53 is released to finish, or the heater member 13 is released and the released position is the cleaning member. The conveyor belt 47 is rotated around until it reaches 53, at which point the conveyor belt 47 is stopped and the cleaning member 47 is released.

When the transport unit 3'shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is used, the operation is performed in the same manner as the above print mode.

The transport unit 3'and the transport display unit 3 are interchangeable and can be exchanged appropriately.

In order to make compatibility possible, the first roller and the transfer roller should be arranged so that they can be aligned with each other at the transfer position of each image forming unit, and the second belt roller 45 should be positioned at the correct position on the heater member 13. Considering that it is possible to press contact with each other, that the mounting positions between the units are matched, and that electrical connection by a connector or the like is possible.

[0075]

According to the present invention, an input signal of a personal computer or a facsimile can be displayed on the display section of the carrier display unit and can be printed on a recording paper.
It was possible to have both functions of a display device and a printer. Therefore, the selection range of the user has expanded.

By utilizing the display device, it becomes possible to reduce the consumption of recording paper and save resources.

Since the beginning of information on the display starts from the beginning of the sentence, the operator's operation becomes easy.

The image forming units can be arranged in multiple stages,
It has become possible to construct an arbitrary color recording device by appropriately expanding.

Each unit can be easily replaced in the case of a failure and the like, and the maintenance time is shortened and the maintenance work is facilitated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of a base unit.

FIG. 4 is an overall cross-sectional schematic view of a modified example in which the display function is omitted.

5 is an overall cross-sectional schematic view of a modification example of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view of a drive unit.

7 is a perspective view of an image recording apparatus using the drive unit of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another example with respect to FIG.

9 is a perspective view of the transport display unit of FIG. 8 opened.

10 is an exploded perspective view showing an electrical connection portion of the unit with respect to the frame body of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a control flow chart.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a conventional electrophotographic recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base unit 2 Image forming unit 3 Transport display unit 11 Case 12 Circuit board (electrical control device) 13 Heater member 41 Paper feed port 42 Paper discharge port 43 Case 47 Transport belt (transport means)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A base unit in which at least an electric control unit and a heater member for fixing a visible image are housed in one case, and each constituent member for forming an image based on an image signal is housed in one case. An image forming unit; and a transport unit that stores transporting means for transporting a recording sheet, which is inserted from the paper feed port, to the paper discharge port in one case having a paper feed port and a paper discharge port, the substrate The image forming unit and the conveying unit are detachably coupled to the unit, and the conveying unit is capable of conveying the recording sheet to the heater member at the time of coupling, and the image forming unit and the conveying unit are controlled by the electric control device. An image recording device characterized by being operated. 2. The display unit is formed on a case of the carrying unit, and the carrying unit is formed so as to directly record a visible image,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording apparatus is formed as a transport display unit that also serves as a display unit that directly displays an image formed by the image forming unit and a unit that transports recording paper. 3. The conveying means is formed of a dielectric belt, and when the conveying unit is coupled to the base unit, the heater member comes into contact with the dielectric belt and a visible image on the dielectric belt or the dielectric body. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image recording apparatus functions as a fixing member for a visible image on a recording sheet conveyed by a belt. 4. The image recording according to claim 3, wherein the temperature of the heater member can be switched between the time of fixing the visible image on the dielectric belt and the time of fixing the visible image on the recording paper. apparatus. 5. The transfer means has a roller for applying a tension to the dielectric belt, and the roller comes into contact with the photoconductor of the image forming unit and acts as a transfer roller. The image recording apparatus described in any one of 1.