JPH02201433A - Image forming device - 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 [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and in particular, when replacing a cassette containing a photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium, an unused photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium is removed from the cassette. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which a cassette cannot be replaced as long as the cassette remains in the image forming apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, a cassette containing an unused photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium is stored under a top plate that can be opened and closed at the top of the main body of the device, and when a document is copied, the cassette is exposed to light and becomes used. Image forming apparatuses are known in which the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium is wound around a winding roller. In this type of device, after a certain number of copies have been made, all unused photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording media are taken up by the take-up roller.
The old cassette set inside the main body is emptied and replaced with a new cassette containing an unused photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium. Usually, in order to apply tension to the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium pulled out into the image forming apparatus, the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium is pulled back into the cassette with respect to the cartridge around which the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium is wound. There is tension. Therefore, in new cassettes, in order to prevent the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium from being completely rolled up into the cassette, the leader tape for guiding the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium is fixed by a leader tape fixing claw. Then, when the leader tape is wound around the take-up roller and the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium is not pulled back into the cassette, the leader tape fixing claw release mechanism tM is activated and the leader tape fixing claw is released. It is in a state where it does not come into contact with the photosensitive pressure-sensitive recording medium.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional device, there is no means for fixing the cassette inside the main body of the device, and no means for releasing it, so the operator has no restrictions when replacing the cassette. The disadvantage is that it can be easily taken out without being damaged. In other words, if an unused photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium remains in the cassette and you try to forcefully remove it from the main body of the device, the mechanism that releases the leader tape fixing claw will come off, and then this leader tape will be removed. A problem arises in that the fixed claw comes into contact with the photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium, causing damage to the image recorded thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional techniques, and to provide an image forming apparatus in which a cassette cannot be replaced as long as an unused photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium remains in the cassette. Our goal is to provide the following.

[Means to solve the problem]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus in which a cassette containing a photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium is exchangeably housed inside an apparatus main body, in which the cassette is placed at a predetermined position inside the main body. A fixing means for fixing, a fixing release means for releasing the fixing means, a recording medium detecting means for detecting the absence of a photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium in the cassette, and an error detecting means for detecting the presence of an error in each main unit. and a control means for controlling the fixing release means to operate and release the fixation means in response to a detection signal from at least one of the detection means.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, the cassette is fixed at a predetermined position inside the main body by the fixing means, and the recording medium detecting means detects the absence of a photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium in the cassette, or the error detecting means detects an error in each main body device. When the presence of the cassette is detected and a detection signal is output, the control means is actuated and the fixing release means is actuated to release the fixing means of the cassette. Unless at least one of the detection signals is output, the cassette fixing means will not come off and the cassette cannot be removed.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates the main body of the image forming apparatus. At the top of the image forming apparatus main body 1, a document table glass 2 on which a document can be placed and a cover 3 that covers the document table glass 2 in an openable and closable manner are disposed so as to be movable left and right. Below the original platen glass 2 is a halogen lamp 4 that extends in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the original platen glass 2 and irradiates the original on the original platen glass 2 with light. A light source 6 consisting of a reflecting mirror body 5 that reflects toward the stacking glass 2 is provided. When the document table glass 2 is moved from side to side while the light source 6 is emitting light, the entire document is irradiated with light.

Furthermore, an exposure table 7 is located at the center of the interior of the image forming apparatus main body 1.
A filter 8 for adjusting the color tone of the copied image and a lens 9 for condensing light are mounted between the exposure table 7 and the light source 6 and are supported by a plate 10. A pair of reflection mirrors 11 for adjusting the optical path length and focus are mounted between the exposure table 7 and the position a by a plate 12.
Sectionably supported. The light reflected from the original after being irradiated onto the original passes through a filter 8, a lens 9, and each reflection mirror 11, and is guided to the exposure table 7.

Furthermore, a cassette 28 for storing a cartridge 14 is removably housed inside the image forming apparatus main body 1, and a take-up roller 15 is rotatably supported. This cartridge 14 is wound with a long photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium carrying a large number of microcapsules containing dye for color copying, that is, a long microcapsule paper 13. This microcapsule paper 13 is pulled out from the cartridge 14 by rotation of a plurality of feed rollers 16, and then wound up by a take-up roller 15. During that time, the microcapsule paper 1 that passed through the underside of the exposure table 7
3 is exposed to light, and a latent image of the document is formed there.

A developer paper cassette 18 containing a sheet of developer paper 17 having a certain size is removably installed below the exposure table 7 of the image forming apparatus main body 1.
A pressure developing device 19 is disposed between the winding roller 15 and the winding roller 15 . Here, microcapsule paper 13 and color developer paper 1
7 are brought into pressure contact with each other, whereby a color image based on the latent image (exposed portion) on the microcapsule paper 13 is formed on the color developer paper 17. The color developer paper 17 has a color developer coated on the base material,
A heat-melting surface resin layer is formed on this color developer, and the base materials include paper with a small heat capacity and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) with a large heat capacity.

Further, the color developer paper cassette 18 is provided with a protrusion 18a for determining the size of the color developer paper 17, and within the main body 1 there is a discriminating device 20 that determines the size of the color developer paper 17 by determining the size of this protrusion 18a. is provided.

A plurality of feed rollers 21 and paper guides 25 are provided between the developer paper cassette 18 and the pressure developing device 19 for transporting the developer paper 17 toward the pressure developing device 19. A peeling roller 22 for peeling the developing paper 17 from the microcapsule paper 13 is provided on the side. A sheet heating device 23 for fixing the image formed on the developer paper 17 by heat is disposed on the paper feeding side of the peeling roller 22, and the developer paper 17 discharged from the sheet heating device 23 is placed on a tray 24. be accommodated.

When making color copies with this image forming device,
When the start button (not shown) is operated, the original platen glass 2 is moved to the right edge, the left edge of the original is placed opposite the halogen lamp 4 of the light source 6, the halogen lamp 4 is turned on, and in this state the original platen glass 2 is moved to the right edge. The glass 2 is moved back to the left, and the irradiation of light onto the original is completed.

During this light irradiation, the microcapsule paper 13 is moved toward the winding side on the exposure table 7 at the same speed as the document table glass 2. Therefore, a latent image of the original is formed on the microcapsule paper 13 by the reflected light from the original. The developer paper 17 is transferred from the developer paper cassette 18 toward the pressure developing device 19 in synchronization with the return movement of the document table glass 2 to the left.
When the exposed portion of the microcapsule paper 13 is pressed against the color developer paper 17, a color image is formed on the color developer paper 17.

Thereafter, the color developing paper 17 is heated by the feeding roller 16, etc.! 23, the image is fixed by the heat inside this device 23, and is discharged.

According to the present embodiment of the image forming station configured as described above, as shown in FIG. ing. The base end of this fixed arm 30 is a pin 31
A stopper arm 32 is also pivotally supported on this pin 31 . This stopper arm 32 and the fixed arm 30 are connected by a pressing spring 33. As a result, the cassette 28
When the stopper arm 32 is pushed by the bottom of the cassette 28 and rotates around the pin 31 to reach the position indicated by the broken line, the fixing arm 30 is moved by the spring force of the presser spring 33 to close the cassette. 28 is fixed, that is, the position indicated by the broken line.

Further, a solenoid 35 having a telescoping rod 35a is connected to the fixed arm 30. This solenoid 35 is used to release the engagement between the cassette 28 and the fixed arm 30, and when the solenoid 35 is activated and the telescopic rod 35a is drawn into the solenoid 35, it resists the spring force of the pressing spring 33. The fixed arm 30 is raised to the position indicated by the solid line. In this state, the cassette 28 can be taken out from inside the image forming apparatus main body 1. In addition, 3
Reference numeral 7 denotes a stopper pin, and this stopper pin 37 regulates the range of movement of the stopper arm 32 and the fixed arm 30.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a detection signal is output from the recording medium detection means 40 that detects the absence of the microcapsule paper 13 or from the error detection means 41 that detects errors in each main unit. Then, these are manually controlled by the CPU 42, which is a control means, and a command is issued from there to the fixing release means, that is, the solenoid 35, to draw the telescopic rod 35a, thereby causing the fixing means, that is, the fixed arm 30 to move as shown in the solid line in FIG. The cassette 28 is lifted up to the position , and the fixation of the cassette 28 is released.

In the second image forming apparatus, once a certain number of copies have been made, all of the used i-icrocapsule paper 13 is wound up by the winding roller 15. At this time, the old cassette 28 set in the copying machine main body 1 is replaced with a new cassette 28 containing unused microcapsule paper 13.

By the way, when replacing the cassette 28, as mentioned above, unless a detection signal is output from at least one of the recording medium detection means 40 and the error detection means 41, the fixation arm 30 that fixes the cassette 28 is released. Therefore, the cassette 28 cannot be taken out from the main body 1.

Therefore, the cassette 28 cannot be taken out from the image forming apparatus main body 1 carelessly, so that the inconvenience that would occur if the cassette 28 is forcibly taken out from the image forming apparatus main body 1 can be completely eliminated.

In addition, the inconveniences if you try to take it out by force are as follows:
A mechanism (not shown) for releasing the leader tape fixing claw for fixing the leader tape that guides the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium, that is, the microcapsule paper 13 is removed, and then this leader tape fixing claw comes into contact with the microcapsule paper 13. This causes problems such as scratches on the images recorded there.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and the above-described fixing means and fixing release means may be of any form as long as they can securely fix and release the cassette 28. good.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, there is provided a fixing means for fixing the cassette at a predetermined position inside the main body, a fixing release means for releasing the fixing means, and a fixing means for fixing the cassette at a predetermined position inside the main body. a recording medium detection means for detecting an error a of each main body device; and an error detection means for detecting an error a of each main body device; and a fixing release means is actuated to release the fixing means based on a detection signal from at least one of the detection means. The cassette fixing means is not released unless one of the detection signals is output.
The cassette cannot be removed from the main body. Therefore, as long as an unused photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium remains in the cassette, the cassette cannot be removed from the main body.

4. Explanation of Drawings FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a cassette fixing means and releasing means, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing control of the device.

1... Image forming apparatus main body, 2... Original table glass, 3
...Movable document table cover 13...Microcapsule paper, 14...Cartridge, 15...Take-up roller, 28...Cassette l-130...Fixed arm, 32
...Stopper arm, 33...If you press it, 35...
・Solenoid, 40...Recording medium detection means, 41...
- 1 stage error detection.

Applicant's agent: Yasushi Ishikawa, male procedural amendment 1989 23rd of the month

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image forming apparatus in which a cassette containing a photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording medium is exchangeably housed inside an apparatus main body, a fixing means for fixing the cassette at a predetermined position inside the main body, and a fixing means for releasing the fixing means. a fixing release means, a recording medium detecting means for detecting the absence of a photosensitive and pressure sensitive recording medium in the cassette, an error detecting means for detecting the presence of an error in each main unit, and a signal from at least one of the respective detecting means. An image forming apparatus comprising: control means for controlling the locking and releasing means to operate and release the locking means based on a detection signal.