JP2858545B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an information image on recording paper. 2. Description of the Related Art As an image recording apparatus for recording an information image on recording paper, a printer having a control device for converting code information into an image signal using a laser light source is known. This control device is arranged at a lower part in the image recording device. [0003] However, in the above-described image recording apparatus, since the control device is disposed in the lower portion of the image recording device, at least the control device is stored in the lower portion of the image recording device. Need space. This space is
It is formed by a shielding member provided between the image forming unit and the control device. Therefore, the control device is covered by the shielding member, and the temperature in the space covered by the shielding member increases due to the heat generated by the control device itself.Therefore, the shielding member includes air for cooling the control device. An opening for distribution is provided. On the other hand, in such an image recording apparatus, it is desired to reduce its size as much as possible. When the members inside the image recording apparatus approach each other due to this miniaturization, particularly when the control device and the developing device approach each other, toner scattered from the developing device reaches the control device via the opening. May adversely affect the control device. Therefore, there is a limit to increasing the opening area of the opening,
The opening alone is not enough to cool the control device, and the temperature of the control device may increase. Therefore,
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described problems, and in a case where an image recording apparatus is miniaturized, the heat radiation of the control device can be improved, and an image that can prevent the toner scattered from the developing device from adversely affecting the control device can be prevented. It is an object to provide a recording device. [0004] The invention of claim 1 is an image forming section having an image carrier, a latent image forming means, a developing means and a transferring means on a recording paper fed from a paper feeding tray. In an image recording apparatus that performs image recording by using a control board disposed below an image forming unit and substantially horizontally in a space formed at the bottom of the apparatus body, a control board is disposed between the image forming unit and the control board. Is provided, a shielding member that covers the control substrate and separates the control substrate from the image forming unit, a space covered by the shielding member communicates with the outside of the space, and an opening for air circulation provided in the shielding member, A metal plate that covers a space in which the control board is disposed, and that constitutes a bottom surface of the apparatus main body.A sheet feeding tray is provided below the developing unit and between the opening and the developing unit. Configuration. According to the first aspect of the present invention, heat from the control board is efficiently released to the outside of the space via the metal plate covering the space where the control board is arranged. Further, since the sheet feeding tray is provided below the developing unit and between the opening and the developing unit, the amount of toner scattered from the developing unit to the opening is reduced. FIG. 1 shows an example of a printer as an image recording apparatus using a semiconductor laser.
An outline of the recording process performed by the computer is described below. In FIG. 1, recording paper 4 is bundled and stacked on a bottom plate 3 of a paper feed tray 2 partially stored in a printer 1, and the uppermost recording paper 4 is separated and conveyed by a paper feed roller 5. It is sent to the roller pair 6. The separation / conveyance roller pair 6 includes an upper roller 6a and a lower roller 6b, and the lower roller 6b rotates in a direction opposite to the recording paper feeding direction (arrow direction) or is held in a stopped state. When a plurality of recording papers 4 have been sent from the paper feed tray 2, only the uppermost recording paper 4 is separated and conveyed in cooperation with the upper roller 6a rotating in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. The paper feed tray 2 is still attached to the printer 1, and the recording paper 4 is supplied by rotating and opening the cover 55 around the fulcrum 55 a and sliding the recording paper 4 onto the bottom plate 3. Do.
A push-up lever 66 that pushes up the recording paper 4 in the paper feed tray 2 is provided below the paper feed tray 2. The push-up lever 66 is rotated counterclockwise by a driving force of a motor (not shown) through a reduction gear or the like in a state in which the push-up lever 66 is in contact with the bottom plate 3, and as the recording paper 4 decreases, the bottom plate 3 is raised. It is designed to push up. The recording paper end detection lever 67 in contact with the upper surface of the recording paper 4 falls downward by its own weight when the recording paper 4 runs out, and detects the recording paper end in cooperation with the photo interrupter 68. The recording paper 4 sent by the recording paper separating / conveying roller pair 6 is continuously fed after reaching the position of the registration roller pair 7, and the leading end of the recording paper 4 reaches the position of the recording paper leading end detection sensor 8. In this state, the registration roller pair 7 temporarily stops, and the recording paper 4 also stops this movement. At this time, the recording paper separating / conveying roller pair 6 also stops. After feeding the recording paper 4 by a predetermined amount, the paper feed roller 5 releases a clutch (not shown) and idles. A sheet feeding unit is constituted by the sheet feeding tray 2, the recording sheet separating and conveying roller pair 6, the registration roller pair 7, and the like. Above the paper feed tray 2, toner as a developer is stored, and a photosensitive member 15 as an image carrier is stored.
Developing means 47 for supplying toner to the printer is provided. The developing means 47 includes a developing container 48, a toner cartridge 4
9, a toner stirring member 50, a doctor blade 51, a developing sleeve 17, and the like. Incidentally, inside the printer 1, an optical housing 9 as a latent image forming means is provided on the upper portion thereof, and mirrors 11 and 12 are provided in the optical housing 9 in the position shown in FIG. A semiconductor laser light source (not shown), a holographic scanner, a polygon, and the like are arranged at the back of these mirror systems. In the printer 1 having such an optical system, when the printer 1 receives a print signal from the host machine, the above-described paper feeding unit operates, and
The photoreceptor 15 formed of an endless belt starts rotating in the direction of the arrow. Accordingly, the surface of the photoreceptor is first uniformly charged by the charging charger 16. On the other hand, signal light corresponding to image information is emitted from the semiconductor laser light source, and this signal light is converted into scanning light by a rotating holographic scanner or polygon.
This scanning light is guided by mirrors 11 and 12, passes through a cylindrical lens 13, and is applied to a uniformly charged surface of the photoreceptor 15, and due to the accompanying exposure, an electrostatic latent is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor. An image is formed. Reference numeral 14 denotes a dust-proof glass. The electrostatic latent image thus formed is visualized by toner, which is a one-component developer, carried on the surface of the developing sleeve 17. By the way, as described above, the recording paper 4 temporarily stops once the leading end of the recording paper 4 reaches the position of the recording paper leading end detection sensor 8.
After this stop, the registration roller pair 7 starts rotating again,
The leading end of the recording paper 4 sent toward the photoreceptor 15 by this rotation is aptly associated with the leading end of a visible image on the photoreceptor in a transfer section facing a transfer charger 18 as a transfer unit. Next, in the transfer section, the photosensitive member 15
The recording paper 4 that moves while contacting the
Transfers the toner image on the photoconductor 15, and thereafter,
The leading edge of the recording paper 4 separates from the photoreceptor due to the strength of its own waist,
Thereafter, the recording paper 4 is sent toward the fixing roller pair 23 of the heat fixing unit 22 while being guided by the guide members 19 and 20. The fixing roller pair 23 has a heat source on at least one of the rollers 23a and 23b. When the recording paper 4 passes between the two rollers, the transferred image on the recording paper 4 is thermally fixed, and this fixing is performed. Thereafter, the recording paper 4 is sent toward the recording paper discharge path 25 including the guide plates 41 and 42 while being peeled off from the surface of the roller 23a by the peeling claw 24. While passing through the paper discharge path 25, the recording paper 4 is inverted by 180 °, discharged from the paper discharge roller pair 26 with the recording image surface facing downward, and stored in the paper discharge tray 27. On the other hand, the toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 15 is removed by the fur brush 29 of the cleaning unit 28, and the photoconductor is cleaned and prepared for the next recording. An image forming unit includes the above-described photoconductor 15, optical housing 9, developing unit 47, transfer charger 18, cleaning unit 28, and the like. A controller 31 and the like are stored below the image forming section. That is, a shielding wall 32a as a shielding member extends obliquely rearward and upward from the base portion 32 of the printer 1 integrally formed of a synthetic resin or the like, and the shielding wall 32a and both side walls (not shown) connected to the shielding wall 32a. ) And the like, a space is formed at the bottom of the printer 1, and a power supply unit 3 as an electrical unit is provided therein.
3. Control circuit board 34 of printer 1, controller 31
Further, a fan device 35 and the like as blowing means are stored. The controller 31 converts code information into an image signal, and has a plurality of control boards 31a and 31b. Also, the control board 31 of the controller 31
In addition to a and 31b and the control circuit board 34, a related printed board 38 relating to the optical system is provided on the upper part of the optical housing 9, and FIG.
1, a character pattern storage device 39 is provided on the right side of the printer 1. Above the space in which the controller 31 and the like are arranged is a shield frame 36, and the control boards 31a and 31b
Are covered with metal plates 52, respectively. Metal plate 5
2 is detachably attached to the printer 1 by screws. The control boards 31a and 31b are arranged in space,
Since the signal line is covered with the metal plate 52, the signal line is not exposed, noise is not generated, or the noise is not picked up. As a result, occurrence of malfunction can be avoided, The reliability of the printer 1 can be further improved. The power supply unit 33 and the controller 31 are isolated from each other by a shield frame 36. Charger 16 and transfer charger 18
And the like, ozone is generated, but the ozone is prevented from entering the space below the shielding wall 32a by the shielding wall 32a. Further, an air intake opening 37 is provided at the base of the shielding wall 32a as an opening for communicating the inside of the space in which the control circuit board 34 and the like are stored with the outside of this space. In the printer 1, the fan device 35 is operated to flow air from the air intake opening 37 into the space where the control boards 31 a and 31 b are stored. The air that has flowed into the space flows along the control boards 31a and 31b, the control circuit board 34, and the power supply unit 33, and is discharged outside the printer 1.
The control boards 31a and 31b, the control circuit board 34, and the power supply unit 33 are cooled by the flow of the air. In this case, the side portion 33a of the power supply unit 33 or the shield frame 3
By making a part of the side part 36a of 6, etc. a wire mesh structure,
The inside of the power supply unit 33, the control boards 31a, 31b, and the like can be further cooled. In FIG. 1, the control boards 31a and 31b of the controller 31, together with the control circuit board 34 and the shield frame 36 of the printer, can be taken out of the apparatus main body on the left side in the figure. In this case, each substrate may have an independent configuration, and only necessary substrates may be taken out.
The power supply unit 33 and the control circuit board 3 of the printer
4. The controller 31, the fan device 35, and the like may be housed in a unit box, and the unit box itself may be taken out of the device. In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, since the control boards 31c and 31d are arranged at the lower part in the printer 1, the control boards can be arbitrarily added downward as needed. FIG. 2 shows two control boards 31c and 31d.
Is shown, but the number is arbitrary. When the control board layer bulges below the bottom of the apparatus main body with the addition of the control board, long legs 5 as shown by reference numeral 56 are used.
By attaching 6, the height of the printer can be adjusted appropriately. In FIG. 1, each device group located above the shielding wall 32a is attached to unit side plates 57, 58 as support members shown in FIG. 3, and the unit side plates 57, 58 have upper ends. Are placed on the upper part of a box-shaped base portion 32 having an opening, and the base portion 32 is adapted to receive the weights of the unit side plates 57 and 58 and each device group. In FIG. 1, a reinforcing stay 62 for attaching a neutralizing lamp 59 and an earth brush 60 whose tip is in contact with the photoconductor 15, a reinforcing stay 63 for attaching a guide rail 64 of the charging charger 16, and a guide rail of the transfer charger 18 are shown. As shown in FIG. 3, 65 and the like are laterally suspended between the unit side plates 57 and 58, and the unit side plates 57 and 58 are integrally assembled, and a predetermined rigidity is secured as a structure. Along with securing such strength, the reinforcing stay 62 and the like also serve to attach devices such as the static elimination lamp 59, thereby contributing to a reduction in the number of parts and a reduction in weight. Controller 31
The shield frame 36 and the metal plate 52 for attaching the components and the like also contribute to securing the strength of the base portion 32. A part of the shield frame 36 made of a metal plate is connected to the ground side of the image forming apparatus, so that the grounding method is simplified and its grounding is achieved. As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the size of the image recording apparatus is reduced and the members inside the apparatus are close to each other, the space in which the control board is arranged is reduced. The heat generated by the control board is efficiently released to the outside of the space via the covering metal plate, so that the heat dissipation of the control board can be improved. In addition, since the amount of toner scattered from the developing means to the opening is reduced, the amount of toner adhering to and depositing on the control substrate is also reduced. Operation can be obtained, and the reliability of the image recording apparatus can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image recording apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of an embodiment in which a control board is added. FIG. 3 is a configuration perspective view of a unit side plate. DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS 1 Image recording device 2 Paper feed tray 6 Recording paper separation and conveyance roller pair 7 Registration roller pair 4 Recording paper 9 Optical system 15 as latent image forming means Photoconductor 18 as image carrier 18 Transfer as transfer means Charger 22 Fixing unit 28 Cleaning means 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d Control board 32a Shielding member 47 Developing means 57, 58 Unit side plate 62, 63 Reinforcement stay 64, 65 Guide rail

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (72) Inventor Masaichi Tanji               1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo               Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Takashi Yokota               1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo               Ricoh Company                (56) References JP-A-58-212195 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording sheet fed from a sheet feed tray by an image forming unit having an image carrier, a latent image forming unit, a developing unit, and a transferring unit. A control board disposed substantially horizontally in a space formed at the bottom of the apparatus main body; and a control board disposed between the image forming section and the control board, covering the control board and forming the control board in the image formation. A shielding member that isolates from the part, a space that is covered by the shielding member and the outside of the space communicate with each other, and an opening for air circulation provided in the shielding member; and a space in which the control board is arranged. A metal plate constituting a bottom surface of the apparatus main body, wherein the paper feed tray is disposed below the developing unit and between the opening and the developing unit. Image recording device.