JPH0678118A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the constitution and to miniaturize a device by reducing the number of parts. CONSTITUTION:One attaching frame 36 is fixed and supported in a device case. The attaching frame 36 is formed like a box whose upper face is opened. A laser oscillator 5, a collimator lens 6, a polygon mirror 7, an ftheta lens 8, and a reflecting mirror 9, which constitute an exposure device 43, are attached to and supported on the inside bottom face of the attaching frame 36, and are arranged on the same plane. A reflecting mirror 32, a lens 33, and an image sensor 34 which constitute a reader 42 are attached to and supported on the same attaching frame 36 as the exposure device 43 slightly above the exposure device 43 so that they do not interfere the optical path of laser beam and they are arranged on the same plane.

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 applied to a facsimile machine, a copying machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of image forming apparatus, an exposure device irradiates a photosensitive drum as a photosensitive member with laser light to form a latent image, and toner is attached to the latent image to form an image on a sheet. It is known that it is configured to transfer. In addition to the above configuration, a facsimile device to which this image forming apparatus is applied is provided with a reading device for reading an image on a document. The reading device reads the image on the original by guiding the reflected light from the original to an image sensor such as a CCD through a mirror and a lens.

The exposure apparatus is composed of a laser oscillator, a polygon mirror for scanning the laser beam from the laser oscillator, a mirror for guiding the scanned laser beam onto the photosensitive drum, and the like. Therefore,
In order to reliably guide the laser light onto the photosensitive drum, it is necessary to accurately arrange the above-mentioned devices on the optical path of the laser light. Therefore, each device that constitutes the exposure apparatus is mounted and supported on one frame.

Similarly, in the reading device, in order to reliably guide the reflected light from the original document to the image sensor, the mirror, the lens, the image sensor, and the like constituting the reading device have one unit.
Mounted and supported on two frames.

In the conventional apparatus, the frame for supporting the exposure apparatus and the frame for supporting the reading apparatus are separately provided, and each apparatus is attached and supported by a different frame.

[0006]

Therefore, in the conventional apparatus, it is necessary to separately provide a frame that supports the exposure apparatus and a frame that supports the reading apparatus, which increases the number of parts and complicates the configuration. At the same time, there is a problem that the size of the entire apparatus is increased.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to reduce the number of parts, simplify the structure, and reduce the size of the apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing the same.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an exposure device for irradiating a laser beam for forming a latent image on a photoconductor and an image sensor for reflecting light from a document are used. In an image forming apparatus having a reading device for reading an image on a document, the exposure device and the reading device are mounted and supported on the same mounting frame by sharing one mounting frame.

[0009]

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the exposure device and the reading device share one mounting frame and are mounted and supported on the same mounting frame, in order to mount and support the exposure device and the reading device, There is no need to provide a separate mounting frame.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the image forming apparatus of the present invention is embodied in a facsimile machine will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the device case 1,
A recording sheet P as a sheet based on the received image data and the like
A recording device 41 for printing on the top and a reading device 42 for reading an image on the original G are provided.

First, the recording device 41 will be described. A photosensitive drum 2 as a photosensitive member is rotatably supported in the device case 1, and a photoconductive film 3 is formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. The charger 4 uniformly charges the photoconductive film 3 to a predetermined potential. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the exposure laser oscillator 5 is composed of a semiconductor laser or the like, and emits a laser beam onto the photosensitive drum 2 via the collimator lens 6, the polygon mirror 7, the fθ lens 8 and the reflection mirror 9. Irradiation is performed to form an electrostatic latent image of a predetermined potential on the photosensitive drum 2.
The laser oscillator 5, the collimator lens 6, the polygon mirror 7, the fθ lens 8 and the reflection mirror 9 constitute an exposure device 43.

The developing device 10 has a toner case 11 for containing the toner T and a developing roller 12. Then, a predetermined potential is applied to the toner T by the developing roller 12, and the toner T is attached to the electrostatic latent image based on the difference between the potential and the potential of the electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized. To be imaged.

The paper feed cassette 13 is removably mounted in the lower part of the apparatus case 1, and a large number of recording papers P as papers are accommodated therein in a stacked state. The paper feed roller 14 is arranged opposite to the paper feed side of the paper feed cassette 13, and the rotation of the roller 14 feeds the recording papers P in the paper feed cassette 13 one by one, so that the pair of paper guides 1
5 and the pair of feed rollers 16 through the photosensitive drum 2
Is transferred to the upper part of.

The transfer unit 17 and the guide roller 18 are arranged so as to face the photosensitive drum 2 with a sheet transfer path interposed therebetween. Then, the recording paper P transferred to the upper portion of the photosensitive drum 2 is brought into close contact with the photosensitive drum 2 by the guide roller 18, and a predetermined potential is applied to the close contact portion by the transfer device 17, and the potential and the toner The toner image is transferred onto the recording paper P on the basis of the difference from the potential of the image.

The cleaning brush 19 removes paper dust and the like adhering to the photosensitive drum 2 after transfer. The memory removal brush 20 made of a conductive brush disturbs the toner T remaining on the photosensitive drum 2 after the transfer, and uniformly disperses the toner T on the photosensitive drum 2. The developing device 10 also performs a cleaning operation of collecting the residual toner T dispersed by the memory removal brush 20 by electrostatic attraction, in parallel with the developing operation.

The heat fixing device 21 is arranged on the paper feeding side of the photosensitive drum 2, and is provided with a heating roller 22 and a pressure roller 23 which comes into contact with the heating roller 22. Then, the recording paper P has the heating roller 22 and the pressure roller 23.
And the toner image on the recording paper P is heated and fixed. The recording paper P on which the image fixing is completed is sent out of the apparatus via the pair of guide rollers 24.

Next, the reading device 42 will be described. The paper feed tray 26 is arranged on the upper surface of the device case 1,
The original G is supported in a stacked state. The feeding roller 27 is arranged in the apparatus case 1 near the lower end of the paper feed tray 26 so as to be positively rotatable, and a separation pad 28 is arranged so as to be in contact with the feeding roller 27. Then, when the feeding roller 27 is rotated, the roller 27 and the separation pad 2
The original G on the paper feeding tray 26 is separated one by one in cooperation with the paper feeding tray 26, and the pair of paper guides 29 in the apparatus case 1 is separated.
In between.

A reading window 30 is provided in a part of the paper guide 29.
Is formed on the original G that is transported between the paper guides 29,
Light is emitted from the light source 31 through the reading window 30. Then, the reflected light from the document G is guided through the reading window 30 through the reflection mirror 32 and the lens 33 to the image sensor 34 such as a CCD, and the image on the document G is read. The document G after the image reading is sent out of the apparatus via a pair of guide rollers 35.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device case 1
Inside, one mounting frame 36 is fixedly supported above the paper feed cassette 13. Then, on the mounting frame 36, the laser oscillator 5, the collimator lens 6, the polygon mirror 7, the fθ lens 8 and the reflection mirror 9 which constitute the exposure device 43 are mounted and supported, and
The reflection mirror 32, the lens 33, which constitutes the reading device 42,
The image sensor 34 is attached and supported.

That is, the mounting frame 36 is formed in a substantially box shape having an open upper surface. The laser oscillator 5, the collimator lens 6, the polygon mirror 7, the fθ lens 8 and the reflection mirror 9 which form the exposure device 43 are mounted and supported on the inner bottom surface of the mounting frame 36 and arranged on the same plane. Then, the polygon mirror 7 is rotated by the motor 37 attached to the lower surface of the attachment frame 36, so that the laser light from the laser oscillator 5 is scanned. Then, the scanned laser light is reflected by the reflection mirror 9 and irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 2,
An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 2 as described above.

Further, the reflection mirror 3 which constitutes the reading device 42.
2, the lens 33, and the image sensor 34 are mounted and supported by the mounting frame 36 at a position slightly above the exposure device 43 so as not to interfere with the optical path of the laser light, and are arranged on the same plane. The reflecting mirror 32 is mounted and supported on the upper edge of one side of the mounting frame 36, and the lens 3 is mounted on the other side of the mounting frame 36 so as to face the reflecting mirror 32.
3 and the image sensor 34 are attached and supported. Then, the reflected light from the document G is reflected by the reflection mirror 32 and guided to the image sensor 34 via the lens 33.

In the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment, the exposure device 43 and the reading device 42 are mounted and supported on the same mounting frame 36. That is, since both of the devices 43 and 42 are mounted and supported by sharing the one mounting frame 36, the mounting frame is mounted to support and support the exposure device 43 and the reading device 42 unlike the above-mentioned conventional case. There is no need to provide each separately. Therefore, compared with the conventional device in which the mounting frame is separately provided for each device 43, 42, the number of parts can be reduced, the configuration can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. It is possible to reduce the size of the entire device.

The exposure device 43 and the reading device 42 are separately arranged on the lower side and the upper side of the mounting frame 36, respectively. As a result, the reading device 42 is prevented from interfering with the optical path of the laser beam, and the exposure device 43 is also provided.
Is prevented from interfering with the optical path of the reflected light from the document G. Therefore, even if the exposure device 43 and the reading device 42 are mounted and supported on the same mounting frame 36, the exposure operation and the reading operation thereof are not hindered.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, the arrangement configuration of the exposure device 43 and the reading device 42 with respect to the mounting frame 36 may be changed appropriately, or the shape of the mounting frame 36 may be changed appropriately. It is also possible to embody the present invention by embodying the invention in a copying machine or the like without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0026]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, simplify the structure, and achieve the excellent effect that the apparatus can be downsized. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment in which an image forming apparatus of the present invention is embodied as a facsimile machine.

FIG. 2 is a main part plan view showing an attachment frame and an exposure device and a reading device supported on the attachment frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Photosensitive drum as photoconductor, 5 ... Exposure laser oscillator, 6 ... Collimator lens, 7 ... Polygon mirror, 8 ...
fθ lens, 9 ... Reflective mirror, 32 ... Reflective mirror, 33
... Lens, 34 ... Image sensor, 36 ... Mounting frame, 42 ... Reading device, 43 ... Exposure device, G ... Original document.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image having an exposure device for irradiating a photosensitive member with laser light for forming a latent image, and a reading device for guiding reflected light from a document to an image sensor to read an image on the document. An image forming apparatus in which, in the forming apparatus, the exposure apparatus and the reading apparatus share one mounting frame and are mounted and supported by the mounting frame.