JPH05289428A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the replacement of only unit which has reached the end of its life, to make favourable in costs and to enable a user to easily use a device by dividing the device main body into a fixed main body part and a movable main body with a vertical carry path as their boundary, and arranging a short life process unit detachably so that it takes priority in replacement over other process units. CONSTITUTION:The image forming device main body 1 is divided into the fixed main body part 1a and the movable main body part 1b with the vertical carry path 2 as their boundary. The short life process unit is arranged in a position where it takes priority in replacement over the other process units, so as to be detached. Only the process unit which has reached the end of its life is replaced by opening the movable main body part 1b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus adopting an electrophotographic process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer which employs an electrophotographic process is used to transfer a transfer sheet as a sheet material fed from a sheet feeding section through a predetermined conveying path. An image is formed by an electrophotographic process using the unit, and the image is discharged to the paper discharge unit.

Among the above-mentioned image forming apparatuses, for example, JP-A-2-278268 and JP-A-1-179168 are available.
As shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications, there is one in which the transfer paper conveyance path is in the vertical direction (vertical direction).

[0004]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional image forming apparatus that vertically conveys a transfer sheet, a fixing unit having a long life, a photoconductor unit, a charger, a developing unit, a transfer unit, and a cleaning unit are used. Since such process units are integrated, each process unit becomes a heavy and large cartridge, and there is a problem that handling becomes inconvenient. Also, as a general life, the developing unit is about 6,0 at A5 5% black ratio until the toner runs out.
The number of sheets is 00, and the photosensitive member is 10,000 to 100,000.
On the other hand, the cleaning unit has a degree of freedom by setting the capacity, and the number of sheets can be set to 3,000 to 30,000. When one of the units reaches the end of its life, for example, when the toner runs out, it must be discarded as a unit even if the other units have not reached the end of life, which not only increases the running cost, A large amount of waste is generated.

In the above, if the process units are integrated cartridges and the running costs (consumption) of the units are made equal to reduce the running cost, the developing unit and the cleaning unit have large capacities and the entire apparatus. Also becomes bigger and more difficult to handle.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention seeks to easily replace only a process unit that has reached the end of its life.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is characterized in that a sheet material fed from a sheet feeding section is passed through a vertical conveying path formed in an apparatus main body. In an image forming apparatus configured to form an image by an electrophotographic process using the process unit of (1) and discharge the image to a sheet discharge section, the apparatus main body is fixed to the fixed main body section and the fixed main body section with the conveyance path as a boundary. The main body is divided into a movable main body that can be opened and closed, and a process unit having a short life, of the main process units, is detachably arranged at a position where it can be replaced in preference to other process units.

[0008]

When a process unit with a short life is placed at a position where it can be attached / detached in preference to other process units, when the unit reaches the end of its life, the movable main unit can be opened and only that unit can be replaced. Become.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, in which an image forming apparatus main body 1 has a vertical conveyance path (sheet path) 2 from the lower side to the upper side, which is charged by a charging charger 3. L to the belt-shaped photoconductor unit 4
A latent image is formed by irradiating laser light from an optical writing unit 5 including D, a polygon motor, a mirror, etc., and toner is brought into contact with the electrostatic latent image by a developing unit 6 to form a visible image. On the visible image, the transfer paper 10 as a sheet material separated by the separation pad 8 from the cassette 7 arranged in the lower part of the apparatus main body 1 and sent by the paper feed roller 9 is timed by the registration roller 11. And the toner is transferred by the transfer unit 12, and the transfer paper 10 after the toner transfer is fixed with the toner through the fixing unit 13 including a fixing roller and a pressure roller, and then the paper discharge roller 14 The paper discharge unit 1 on the upper part of the apparatus body 1
5, the residual toner on the photoconductor unit 4 after the transfer paper 10 is separated is cleaned by the cleaning unit 16 and the residual charge is erased by the static elimination lamp 17. In the image forming apparatus of the type, a fixed main body 1a and a fixed main body 1 with the main body 1 of the apparatus as a boundary of the transport path 2 in the vertical direction.
The developing unit 6 and the cleaning unit 1 which are divided into a movable main body 1b which can be opened and closed in the front-rear direction about the hinge 18 at the lower end with respect to a and which are process units.
6, among the photoconductor unit 4 and the transfer unit 12, the developing unit 6 is detachably arranged on the operation surface side of the photoconductor unit 4 so that the photoconductor unit 4 can be replaced preferentially. .

When the developing unit 6 runs out of toner, the movable main body portion 1b is opened to the fixed main body portion 1a, and the hinge 18 is opened to the front side as a fulcrum, as indicated by a chain double-dashed line. After that, the developing unit 6 that has reached the end of its life is fixed to the main body 1a.
Then, a new developing unit 6 is set at the same position. Since the setting position of the developing unit 6 is set so as to be preferentially attached to and detached from the photoconductor unit 4, the developing unit 6 can be easily replaced without removing other units.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the same construction as the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning unit 16 is given priority over the photoconductor unit 4. The photoconductor unit 4 is detachably arranged on the operation surface side so as to be exchangeable.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
The photoconductor unit 4 can be attached and detached preferentially to other process units.

FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
The transfer unit 12 can be attached and detached preferentially to other process units.

In the case of the second, third, and fourth embodiments, the cleaning unit 16, the photoconductor unit 4, and the transfer unit 12 can be replaced preferentially with respect to other process units. Therefore, in the case of the first embodiment. Similarly, the units can be easily replaced without attaching or detaching other units.

Further, FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the developing unit 6, the cleaning unit 16, the photoconductor unit 4, and the transfer unit 12 are independently detachable. It was done.

In the case of the fifth embodiment, since only the unit to be exchanged can be exchanged, it can be maintained at a low cost, the disposal unit is small and the handling is easy, and further, the jam occurs. Even in such a case, since the transport path 2 is located on the front side and each unit can be removed, the processing work can be significantly improved.

In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus of the type in which the sheet material is conveyed from the bottom is shown, but the image forming apparatus of the type in which the sheet material is conveyed from the bottom to the upper side can be similarly implemented. Needless to say, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0018]

As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus main body is divided into the fixed main body portion and the movable main body portion at the boundary of the vertical conveying path, and the process has a short life. Since the unit is detachably arranged so that it can be replaced in preference to other process units, only the unit that has reached the end of its life can be easily replaced, which is not only cost effective, but also easy for users to use. Further, by arranging each process unit independently and detachably, each process unit can be compactly assembled without sizing the life, and therefore the unit to be discarded is also disposed. It is small and easy to handle, and it can be divided at the part of the transport path, so jam handling work can be performed easily. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image Forming Apparatus Main Body 1a Fixed Main Body 1b Movable Main Body 2 Conveying Path 4 Photoreceptor Unit 6 Developing Unit 7 Cassette (Paper Feeding Section) 10 Transfer Paper (Sheet Material) 12 Transfer Unit 15 Paper Ejection Section 16 Cleaning Unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A sheet material fed from a sheet feeding section is passed through a vertical conveying path formed in the apparatus main body, and an image is formed by an electrophotographic process using a main process unit, and the sheet is ejected. In the image forming apparatus, the main body of the apparatus is divided into a fixed main body and a movable main body that can be opened and closed with respect to the fixed main body with the conveyance path as a boundary. An image forming apparatus having a structure in which a process unit having a short service life is detachably arranged at a position where the process unit can be replaced in preference to other process units. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process unit having a short life is a developing unit. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process unit having a short life is a cleaning unit. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process unit having a short life is a photoconductor unit. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process unit having a short life is a transfer unit. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main process units are a developing unit, a cleaning unit, a photoconductor unit, and a transfer unit, and each process unit is independently attachable and detachable.