JPH0756265Y2 - Dehumidifier of paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dehumidifying device for a paper feeding device used in a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, etc., which prints based on electrophotography.

Conventional Technology First, a conventional example is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Reference numeral 1 denotes an electrophotographic apparatus main body, and the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1 has an electrophotographic apparatus 2 built therein. The electrophotographic apparatus 2 includes an image carrier unit 4 including an image carrier 3 that is rotatably held,
The exposure unit 5, the developing unit 6, the transfer unit 7, and the fixing unit 8 are included. The image carrier unit 4 includes the image carrier 3 (not shown).
It has a charging unit for applying a charge to the photosensitive surface to charge it, a charge removing unit for removing the charge of the image carrier 3, and a cleaning unit attached to the image carrier 3. Further, in the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1, one end is opened at an end portion of the paper feeding cassette 9 and the other end is formed on the upper surface of the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1, and a paper ejection receiver 10 is provided.
A sheet conveying path 11 opening at the end of the sheet conveying path 11 is provided. In the sheet conveying path 11, a sheet feeding roller 12, a feeding roller 13, the fixing section 8 and a sheet discharging roller 14 are sequentially arranged. Further, a large number of exhaust holes 15 are formed on one surface of the main body casing of the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1, and an exhaust fan 16 is arranged inside the exhaust holes 15 so as to face each other. Further, the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1 is provided with a paper guide 17 extending from below toward the feed roller 13.

Reference numeral 18 is a paper feeding device, and the paper feeding device 18 is selectively used by placing the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1 thereon. In addition, this paper feeding device 18 is a storage case 19 that can be pulled out freely.
A paper guide 20 connected to the paper guide 17 from one end of the storage case 19, a feed roller 21 located above the paper guide 20, and a storage case urged upward by a spring 22 to be displaceable. The pressing plate 23 held on the pressing plate 23 and the paper feed roller 25 that contacts the paper 24 stacked on the pressing plate 23.
And have.

Next, the operation will be described. While rotating the image carrier 3, its outer peripheral surface is charged by a charging unit, and the charged unit is irradiated with an optical signal corresponding to a print signal from the exposing unit 5 to form an electrostatic latent image. Is developed in the developing section 6. On the other hand, the paper in the paper feeding cassette 9 is fed by the paper feeding roller 12, or the paper in the paper feeding device 18 is fed by the paper feeding roller 25 and the feeding roller 21, and the paper is fed to the transfer unit 7 by the feeding roller 13. When sent, the developed image on the image carrier 3 is transferred to the sheet by the transfer unit 7. The transferred sheet is fixed by the fixing unit 8 and then discharged by the discharge roller 14 to the discharge receiver 10. The heat internally generated by this printing operation is exhausted to the outside from the exhaust hole 15 by the exhaust fan 16.

The paper cassette 9 permanently installed in the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1 has a small capacity for paper, but the external paper feeder 18 has a capacity for paper 24 in order to meet the demand for mass printing. Many. For this,
When not in use, the paper 24 is left inside the paper feeding device 18 for a long period of time, so that the paper 24 becomes damp. As a result, there is a problem in that the sheet 24 is not conveyed properly, or the electric resistance of the sheet 24 is lowered, so that the potential of the transfer portion 7 is transmitted to the metal plate of the sheet conveying path 11 via the sheet 24 to cause the transfer failure. There is.

Means for Solving the Problems An electrophotographic apparatus main body in which an exhaust fan and an electrophotographic apparatus, which are arranged to face each other inside an exhaust hole formed on one surface of a main body casing, are incorporated; and the electrophotographic apparatus having a through hole. It is formed between the heat conductive bottom plate provided at the bottom of the electrophotographic apparatus main body facing the fixing section of the apparatus and the space between the exhaust hole and the exhaust fan and the upper surface of the bottom plate. A position that faces the inside of the exhaust hole and is urged downward to face the exhaust hole in a state where the air path is formed between the air passage and the exhaust fan; and a position below the exhaust hole. And a paper feed device for accommodating a large number of paper sheets in a stacked state and selectively attached to the lower part of the bottom plate of the electrophotographic apparatus main body, and the paper feed device. Attached to the electrophotographic device body In this case, the protrusion is provided on the sheet feeding device, and has a pressing portion that abuts on the shielding plate and pushes up the shielding plate to a position facing the exhaust hole.

When not using an external paper feeding device, remove this paper feeding device from the bottom of the main body of the electrophotographic device, lower the shielding plate by the urging force to open the exhaust hole, and remove the internal heat from the exhaust hole by the exhaust fan. When the paper is ejected and the paper feeding device is attached to the bottom of the electrophotographic device main body, the projection of the paper feeding device is projected from the bottom of the electrophotographic device main body, and the pressing plate pushes up the shielding plate to shield the exhaust hole. As a result, the wind from the exhaust fan can be guided to the bottom plate through the air passage, and the guided wind can be guided to the inside of the sheet feeding device from the through hole while being warmed by the bottom plate that receives the heat of the fixing unit. Therefore, it is possible to remove the moisture of the paper that is stored in the paper feeding device for a long time because the storage amount is large.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The same parts as those described in FIGS. 5 and 6 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. A bottom plate 26 having a large number of through holes 26a is provided at the bottom of the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1. Further, a shield plate 27 facing the inside of the exhaust hole 15 is provided on one surface of the main body casing of the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1 so as to be vertically movable, and a portion of the bottom plate 26 bent upward from the one side and the shield plate 27. Springs 28 are stretched on both sides. Further, a protruding portion 29 that protrudes upward is integrally formed on one side of the sheet feeding device 18, and a pressing portion 30 that abuts the shielding plate 27 is formed on the protruding portion 29. A window 31 for projecting the protrusion 29 is formed on one side of the bottom plate 26, and a rubber 32 facing the window 31 is provided at the lower end of the shielding plate 27.
Further, an air passage 33 is formed between the space facing the exhaust hole 15 and the exhaust fan 16 to the upper surface of the bottom plate 26.

In such a configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the sheet feeding device 18 is used, the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1 is placed on the sheet feeding device 18. As a result, the protrusion 29 protrudes from the window 31 of the bottom plate 26 and pushes up the shielding plate 27 by the pressing portion 30. As a result, the exhaust hole 15 is closed and the exhaust fan 16
The wind generated by the rotation of the sheet is guided to the bottom plate 26 through the air passage 33, and the wind is guided to the inside of the sheet feeding device 18 from the through hole 26a while being warmed by the bottom plate 26 which receives the heat of the fixing unit 8. Therefore, the humidity of the paper 24, which has a large storage capacity and is stored in the paper feeding device 18 for a long period of time, is effectively removed by the warm air. The warm air guided to the paper feeding device 18 is discharged to the outside through a gap between the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1 and the paper feeding device 18.

When the large-sized paper feeding device 18 is not used, the paper feeding device 18 is removed from the lower portion of the electrophotographic apparatus main body 1 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As a result, the shielding plate 27 causes the spring 28 to
The exhaust hole 15 is opened because it descends by the urging force of. Therefore, during operation, the exhaust fan 16 discharges the hot air from the exhaust hole 15 toward the outside air. In this usage mode, the paper in the paper feed cassette 9 is used. However, since the paper feed cassette 9 has a small amount of paper stored therein and consumes the internal paper within a relatively short period of time, it is particularly necessary to consider that the paper is humid. unnecessary. The shielding plate 27 that has descended closes the window 31 of the bottom plate 26 with the rubber 32.

Effect of the Invention As described above, the present invention has an electrophotographic apparatus main body in which an exhaust fan and an electrophotographic apparatus, which are arranged to face each other inside an exhaust hole formed on one surface of a main body casing, are installed, and a through hole. And a heat conductive bottom plate provided at the bottom of the main body of the electrophotographic device facing the fixing portion of the electrophotographic device, and a space from the space facing the exhaust hole and the exhaust fan to the upper surface of the bottom plate. A position facing the inside of the exhaust hole and being urged downward and facing the exhaust hole with the air path formed between the exhaust path and A shielding plate that is vertically movable between a lower position and a sheet feeding device that accommodates a large number of sheets in a stacked state and that is selectively attached to a lower portion of the bottom plate of the electrophotographic apparatus main body; This paper feeding device to the main body of the electrophotographic device When it is attached, the projection plate is provided on the sheet feeding device with a pressing portion that comes into contact with the shielding plate and pushes up the shielding plate to a position facing the exhaust hole.
When not using an external paper feeding device, remove this paper feeding device from the lower part of the main body of the electrophotographic device, lower the shielding plate by the urging force to open the exhaust hole, and discharge the internal heat from the exhaust hole by the exhaust fan. However, when a paper feeding device is attached to the bottom of the main body of the electrophotographic device, the projection of this paper feeding device should be projected from the bottom of the main body of the electrophotographic device, and the shielding plate should be pushed up by the pressing part to block the exhaust hole. As a result, the wind from the exhaust fan can be guided to the bottom plate through the air passage, and the guided wind can be guided to the inside of the sheet feeding device from the through hole while being warmed by the bottom plate that has received the heat of the fixing unit. In addition, it is possible to remove the moisture of the paper stored in the paper feeding device for a long period of time due to the large storage amount, and thus it is possible to eliminate the influence on the paper feeding and the image transfer.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing a mounted state of a sheet feeding device, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional front view of a part thereof, FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view showing a state in which a sheet feeding device is removed, and FIG. Some vertical front views,
5 and 6 show a conventional example, FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional side view, and FIG. 6 is a partial vertical sectional front view. 1 ... Electrophotographic device main body, 2 ... Electrophotographic device, 8 ...
Fixing part, 15 ... Exhaust hole, 16 ... Exhaust fan, 18 ... Paper feeder, 26 ... Bottom plate, 26a ... Through hole, 27 ... Shield plate, 29 ...
… Projection part, 30 …… Pressing part, 33 …… Air passage

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An electrophotographic apparatus main body having an exhaust fan and an electrophotographic apparatus, which are arranged opposite to each other inside an exhaust hole formed on one surface of a main body casing, and an electrophotographic apparatus having a through hole. A heat conductive bottom plate provided at the bottom of the electrophotographic apparatus main body so as to face the fixing portion, and an air passage formed between a space facing the exhaust hole and the exhaust fan to an upper surface of the bottom plate. Between a position facing the inside of the exhaust hole and urged downward to face the exhaust hole with the air passage formed between the exhaust fan and a position below the exhaust hole. And a shielding plate provided so as to be movable up and down, a sheet feeding device for accommodating a large number of sheets in a stacked state and selectively attached to a lower portion of the bottom plate of the electrophotographic apparatus main body, and this sheet feeding device. When installed in the main body of the electrophotographic device, Dehumidifier of the sheet feeding apparatus according to claim contact with more becomes possible a protruding portion provided in the sheet feeding apparatus includes a pressing portion for pushing up the shield to a position opposite to the exhaust hole in a plate.