Patent Application
20110262183
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-099675 filed Apr. 23, 2010.
(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an imaging device and an image forming apparatus.
(ii) Related Art
In some recent image forming apparatuses using electrophotography, an optical writing device forms an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a photoconductor by irradiating the surface with light based on image information. In the optical writing device, plural light emitting elements, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), are arranged in line in a direction (main scanning direction) substantially extending in the axial direction of the photoconductor. Light is emitted from the light emitting elements onto the surface of the photoconductor via an optical element such as a convergent lens so as to write a latent image.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an imaging device including a cylindrical photoconductor having a photosensitive surface, the photoconductor rotating on a shaft, a charging device that charges the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor by a charging member pressed into contact with the photosensitive surface, an optical writing device that forms an electrostatic latent image by irradiating the charged photosensitive surface of the photoconductor with light emitted from a light emitting portion including a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in an axial direction of the photoconductor, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image by a developing member in contact with the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor or a developing member opposing the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor with a gap holding member being disposed therebetween, the gap holding member being in contact with the photosensitive surface, and a support member that rotatably supports the photoconductor while holding the shaft and supports the optical writing device at a distance from the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor, the distance corresponding to a focal length of the light emitted from the light emitting portion. The charging member of the charging device and the developing member of the developing device are respectively provided at portions of the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor closer to the optical writing device than a line extending orthogonally to an emitting direction of the light emitted from the light emitting portion of the optical writing device and passing through a center point of the shaft of the photoconductor, the portions being provided on opposite sides of the optical writing device. Each of an application direction of a pressure to be applied to the charging member and an application direction of a pressure to be applied to the developing member is set to intersect the emitting direction of the light emitted from the light emitting portion at an acute angle.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
An embodiment for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as an exemplary embodiment) will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.
The image forming apparatus 1 includes an apparatus body 10 formed by a support material, an exterior material, etc. At the bottom of the apparatus body 10, a sheet supply device 4 is provided to store and supply recording sheets 9 serving as recording media on which images are to be formed. At the top of the apparatus body 10, an output receiving portion 12 is provided such that the recording sheets 9 are output and received therein after image formation. In
In the sheet supply device 4, the uppermost one of the recording sheets 9 stored in a sheet storing unit 41 is fed out by a supply roller 42, and is then handled by cooperation of the supply roller 42 and a handling roller 43 that is in contact with the supply roller 42. In this way, the recording sheets 9 are fed out one by one. The fed recording sheet 9 is temporarily stopped by transport adjusting rollers 44, and is then transported between an intermediate transfer unit 3 and a secondary transfer device 35 that will be described below (a secondary transfer position) at a required timing (a timing corresponding to a secondary transfer step that will be described below).
In the apparatus body 10, the imaging device 2, the intermediate transfer unit 3, the secondary transfer device 35, and a fixing device 45 are arranged. The imaging device 2 includes four imaging devices 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K that form developer (toner) images of four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. In the exemplary embodiment, the imaging devices 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K are arranged in order of decreasing height (in an inclined state).
Each of the imaging devices 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K includes a photoconductor drum 21 (Y, M, C, and K) that rotates in a required direction (direction of arrow), a charging device 22 that charges a surface (photosensitive surface) of a photoconductor drum 21, an optical writing device 23 serving as a latent-image forming device, a developing device 24 (Y, M, C, and K), and a drum cleaning device 25 that removes toner or the like remaining on the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 after transfer.
The photoconductor drum 21 is formed by a cylindrical photoconductor that rotates on a shaft 56. The charging device 22 is of a contact charging type including a charging roller 221 that rotates in pressing contact with the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21. The optical writing device 23 is formed by an LED print head in which plural LEDs 26 are arranged in line in an axial direction A of the photoconductor drum 21. The developing device 24 includes a developing roller 241 that rotates at a required distance S from the photosensitive surface in a manner such that gap holding rollers 243 in pressing contact with the photosensitive surface are provided therebetween. The developing roller 241 transports two-component developer formed by toner and carrier to a developing area. The drum cleaning device 25 includes an elastic blade 251 that is in pressing contact with the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21. A charging voltage and a developing bias voltage are applied from a power supply (not shown) to the charging roller 221 and the developing roller 241, respectively.
In each imaging device 2 (Y, M, C, and K), image formation is performed as follows. First, the photosensitive surface of the rotating photoconductor drum 21 is charged with a required potential by the charging roller 221 of the charging device 22, and is then irradiated with light based on image information input to the image forming apparatus 1 by the optical writing device 23, whereby an electrostatic latent image of the corresponding color component is formed with the required potential. Subsequently, the electrostatic latent image of the color component on the photoconductor drum 21 is developed with the corresponding color developer supplied from the developing roller 241 of the developing device 24. Through the above steps, toner images of the four colors Y, M, C, and K are formed. The toner images on the photoconductor drums 21 are primarily transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt 31 of the intermediate transfer unit 3, as will be described below. After the toner images are transferred, the photosensitive surfaces of the photoconductor drums 21 are cleaned by the drum cleaning devices 25.
The intermediate transfer unit 3 includes an endless intermediate transfer belt 31 having an outer peripheral surface on which the color toner images formed on the photoconductor drums 21 of the imaging devices 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K are to be transferred, plural support rollers 32a and 32b around which the intermediate transfer belt 31 is wound to rotate in contact with the photoconductor drums 21, and primary transfer devices 33 that primarily transfer the toner images on the photoconductor drums 21 onto the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31. The support roller 32b is a driving roller, and rotates the intermediate transfer belt 31 in the direction of the arrow by rotational force transmitted from a rotating device (not shown). The primary transfer devices 33 are primary transfer rollers that press the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 against the photosensitive surfaces of the photoconductor drums 21 by contact with an inner peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31. A primary transfer bias voltage is applied to the primary transfer rollers 33.
In the intermediate transfer unit 3, toner images are electrostatically and primarily transferred from the photoconductor drums 21 of the imaging devices 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K onto the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 rotating in the direction of the arrow by the action of the primary transfer rollers 33. By virtue of this primary transfer, a multicolor toner image obtained by superimposing plural color toner images or a toner image of one color (black in the exemplary embodiment) is held on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31.
The secondary transfer device 35 secondarily transfers the toner image primarily transferred on the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 onto a recording sheet 9. The secondary transfer device 35 is formed by a secondary transfer roller that is driven by contact with a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 wound around the support roller 32b. A secondary transfer bias voltage is applied to the secondary transfer roller 35. In the secondary transfer device 35, an unfixed toner image held on the intermediate transfer belt 31 is electrostatically and secondarily transferred onto a recording sheet 9 transported between the intermediate transfer belt 31 and the secondary transfer roller 35.
The fixing device 45 fixes the secondarily transferred unfixed toner image on the recording sheet 9, and is located above the secondary transfer device 35. The fixing device 45 includes a roller-shaped or belt-shaped heating rotating body 46 having a fixing surface to be heated to a required temperature by a heating unit, and a roller-shaped or belt-shaped pressurizing rotating body 47 that contacts the fixing surface of the heating rotating body 46 with a required pressure so as to form a fixing portion through which the recording sheet 9 (fixing object) holding the unfixed toner image passes. In the fixing device 45, the recording sheet 9 on which the unfixed toner image is transferred is led into the fixing portion between the heating rotating body 46 and the pressurizing rotating body 47, where the unfixed toner image is melt and fixed on the recording sheet 9 by the application of heat and pressure.
After fixing, the recording sheet 9 is discharged from the fixing device 45, and is output into the output receiving portion 12 by output rollers 48. Thus, a monochromatic or multicolor image is formed by developer on one side of the recording sheet 9.
Next, the imaging devices 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K will be described.
First, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The photoconductor drum 21 is supported with the shaft 56 being fixed to shaft support holes 16 that are provided in the support plate 15 of the imaging device 20 so as to serve a positioning function. The end holding plates 55 are formed of a synthetic resin having a high slidability with respect to the shaft 56. The photoconductor drum 21 is supported rotatably on the shaft 56 extending through the shaft receiving holes 54 provided in the end holding plates 55.
As illustrated in
The optical writing device 23 includes a light emitting portion 231 in which plural LEDs 26 arranged in line in the axial direction A of the photoconductor drum 21 are mounted, and a light emitting portion 28 having a Selfoc lens 27 for converging light emitted from the LEDs 26 of the light emitting portion 231 and a holding portion (housing) 232 for maintaining the distance between the LEDs 26 of the light emitting portion 231 and the Selfoc lens 27. The optical writing device 23 is mounted with the holding portion 232 being fixed to the connecting portion 15c of the support plate 15 in a manner such that the Selfoc lens 27 of the light emitting portion 28 opposes the photosensitive surface (image forming area) of the photoconductor drum 21. Also, a control board 235 for controlling light emission from the LEDs 26 of the light emitting portion 231 is attached to the center of the holding portion 232 in the axial direction A. On the basis of an image signal transmitted from an image processing unit (not shown) via a connecting line, the corresponding LED 26 in the light emitting portion 231 is driven to blink.
The optical writing device 23 is attached to the connecting portion 15c at a distance E from the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21. The distance E corresponds to the focal length of light emitted from the light emitting portion 28. This allows the distance E between the optical writing device 23 and the photoconductor drum 21 to be easily maintained by the support plate 15.
As illustrated in
With this structure, the elastic layer 223 of the charging roller 221 is pressed into contact with the photosensitive surface (a portion extending in the axial direction A) of the photoconductor drum 21 with a required pressure. A cleaning roller 227 illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
With this structure, the housing 240 of the developing device 24 is kept rocked on the shaft 17 in the direction of arrow B1 by receiving the pulling force of the extension spring 247. Hence, the developing roller 241 is pressed against the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 with a required pressure with the gap holding rollers 246 being disposed therebetween, and opposes the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 with the gap M therebetween. In
As illustrated in
With this structure, the elastic blade 251 is pressed against the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 with the required pressure. In
As illustrated in
Strictly, however, if there are unnecessary gaps S in the mounting portions in contact with the shaft 56 of the photoconductor drum 21, the distance E may change. The mounting portions in contact with the shaft 56 include the shaft receiving holes 54 of the end holding plates 55A and 55B and the shaft support holes 16 of the support plate 15, as illustrated in
In the exemplary embodiment, the charging roller 221 of the charging device 22 and the developing roller 241 of the developing device 24 that are particularly predicted to easily affect the position change of the photoconductor drum 21, of the components arranged in contact with the photoconductor drum 21 (the charging roller 221, the developing roller 241, the elastic blade 251, the primary transfer rollers 33, and the transmitted gear 57), are arranged (set) so as to satisfy the following conditions.
That is, as illustrated in
More specifically, for example, the optical writing device 23 is set such that an angle θ1 formed between the light emitting direction C and a gravitational direction G (along the coordinate axis Y) is 4°. Further, the charging roller 221 is set in contact with a surface portion of the photoconductor drum 21 such that an angle θ2 at a position closer to the optical writing device 23 than the line DL orthogonal to the light emitting direction C of the optical writing device 23 (an angle formed between a line L1 passing through the center point P1 of the shaft 56 of the photoconductor drum 21 and the line DL) is 57°. In addition, the developing roller 241 is set in contact with a surface portion of the photoconductor drum 21 such that an angle θ3 at a position closer to the optical writing device 23 than the line DL (an angle formed between a line L3 passing through the center point P1 of the shaft 56 of the photoconductor drum 21 and a rotation center point P3 of the developing roller 241) is 49°. In this case, for example, the photoconductor drum 21 has a roller diameter of 30 mm, the charging roller 221 has a roller diameter of 9 mm, and the developing roller 241 has a roller diameter (sleeve diameter) of about 12 mm. The gap M between the developing roller 241 and the photoconductor drum 21 is set to be about 0.4 mm.
In addition, as illustrated in
The pressure F1 is applied to the charging roller 221 by spring force of the pressurizing spring 225. The application direction D1 of this pressure F1 coincides with the line L1 passing through the center point P1 of the shaft 56 of the photoconductor drum 21 and the rotation center point P2 of the charging roller 221. Further, the pressure F1 is the sum of spring forces of two pressurizing springs 225. In contrast, the pressure F2 is applied to the developing roller 241 by spring force of the extension spring 247. The application direction D2 of this pressure F2 coincides with a line connecting the contact portion of the developing roller 241 (gap holding rollers 246) with the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 and a center point of the spring mounting portion 18 of the support plate 15. The pressure F2 is the sum of spring forces of two extension springs 247. In this case, the intersecting angle α1 between the application direction D1 of the pressure F1 and the light emitting direction C is about 33°, and the intersecting angle α2 between the application direction D2 of the pressure F2 and the light emitting direction C is about 20°.
In the imaging device 2, since the charging roller 221 of the charging device 22 and the developing roller 241 of the developing device 24 are arranged so as to satisfy the above-described conditions, the photoconductor drum 21 is kept pressed by at least the charging roller 221 and the developing roller 241, and is displaced apart from the optical writing device 23. With this, as illustrated in
As a result, as illustrated in
Therefore, during image formation, light emitted from the light emitting portion 28 of the optical writing device 23 is stably applied (converged) onto the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 with the distance corresponding to the focal length being disposed therebetween, so that an electrostatic latent image is stably formed on the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 and an image having a stable quality may be obtained finally. Further, the distance E1 between the optical writing device 23 and the photoconductor drum 21 does not easily change, but is stably maintained even in long-term use of the imaging device 2 and the image forming apparatus 1.
In the exemplary embodiment, arrangement conditions may be set with consideration of the influences of the elastic blade 251 and the transmitted gear 57, which are the components arranged in contact with the photoconductor drum 21, in addition to the charging roller 221 and the developing roller 241.
That is, as illustrated in
The resultant force K is a vector (line) obtained by combining the pressures F1 to F4 with consideration of the directions and magnitudes thereof, and the vector starts from the center point P1 of the shaft 56 of the photoconductor drum 21. The pressures F1 to F4 start from the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 (points to be meshed with the transmitted gear 57). The pressure F1 is expressed by the direction and magnitude of the spring force applied by the pressurizing spring 225. The pressure F2 is expressed by the direction and magnitude of the spring force applied by the extension spring 247. The pressure F3 is expressed by the direction and amount of cut of the elastic blade 251 in the point on the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21. The pressure F4 is expressed by the direction and magnitude of the moment force produced at the pressure angle of the driving transmission gear 58. Coincidence of the direction of the resultant force K with the light emitting direction C means a state in which the intersecting angle of lines indicating the directions is within the range of about 0°±30°.
In the exemplary embodiment, for example, the pressures F1 to F4 are set as follows. The pressure F1 is set to have a direction equal to the above-described application direction D1 and a magnitude of 500 gf (≈4.9 N)×2. The pressure F2 is set to have a direction equal to the above-described application direction D2 and a magnitude of 700 gf (≈6.86 N)×2. The pressure F3 is set to have a direction equal to an application direction represented by a line L3 passing through the center point P1 of the shaft 56 of the photoconductor drum 21 and the corner portion P3 of the elastic blade 251 in contact with the photosensitive surface. The pressure F3 is also set to have a magnitude of 100 gf (≈0.98 N)×2. The pressure F4 is set to have a direction represented by the pressure angle (20° of the driving transmission gear 58 and a magnitude of 0.195 Nm. Further, the elastic blade 251 is set in contact with the photosensitive surface at a position such that an angle θ04 formed between the elastic blade 251 and the line DL is 12°. In addition, the driving transmission gear 58 is meshed with the transmitted gear 57 of the photoconductor drum 21 at a position (mesh position) DP substantially intersecting the light emitting direction C.
From the above-described settings, the direction of the resultant force K of the pressures F1 to F4 intersects the light emitting direction C of the light emitting portion 28 of the optical writing device 23 at the intersecting angle ranging from 0° to 30°, that is, substantially extends in the light emitting direction C.
In the imaging device 2, since the direction of the resultant force K of the pressures F1 to F4 is set, as described above, the photoconductor drum 21 is kept pressed by the direction (and magnitude) of the resultant force K, and is reliably displaced apart from the optical writing device 23. With this structure, as illustrated in
As a result, as illustrated in
Therefore, during image formation, light emitted from the light emitting portion 28 of the optical writing device 23 is more stably applied (converged) onto the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 through the distance E1 corresponding to the focal length, so that an electrostatic latent image is more stably formed on the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 and an image having a more stable quality may be obtained finally. Further, the distance E1 between the optical writing device 23 and the photoconductor drum 21 does not easily change, but is more stably maintained even in long-term use of the imaging device 2 and the image forming apparatus 1.
For example, the pressures F1 to F4 in the completed imaging device 2 may be calculated by measuring the spring constants or may be measured with a commercially available pressure meter. Further, for example, the resultant force K may be checked by measuring the pressures (states of pressure) received from the shaft 56 in the unnecessary gaps S (S1, S2) at the shaft receiving holes 54 and the shaft support holes 16.
To adjust the direction of the resultant force K so as to satisfy the conditions, the (contact) positions of the components relevant to the pressures F1 to F4 relative to the photoconductor drum 21 may be adjusted. The pressure applied when the primary transfer roller 33 (including the intermediate transfer belt 31) contacts the photoconductor drum 21 is about 0.05 N as an example, and this is lower than the pressures F1 to F4 of the other components that contact the photoconductor drum 21. Therefore, this pressure is not used in calculation of the resultant force K.
While the charging roller 221 of the charging device 22, the developing roller 241 of the developing device 24, and the drum cleaning device 25 (elastic blade 251) are integrally attached to the support plate 15 in the imaging device 2 of the exemplary embodiment, all or some of the components may be attached to (set in) the apparatus body 10, instead of being attached to the support plate 15, as long as the above-described conditions are satisfied. Further, the photoconductor drum 21 may be formed as a removable structure that is removably mounted in the apparatus body 10 of the image forming apparatus 1.
The photoconductor drum 21 may rotate together with the shaft 56. Since the shaft 56 serves as a rotation shaft in this case, the shaft support holes 16 of the support plate 15 rotatably support the shaft 56. The light emitting elements that form the light emitting portion 28 of the optical writing device 23 are not limited to the LEDs, and other light emitting elements may be used. The charging device 22 is not limited to a roll-shaped charging member like the illustrated charging roller 221 and may be formed by another type of charging member as long as the charging member is capable of contact charging. In addition, the developing device 24 is not limited to the developing roller 241 including the illustrated gap holding rollers 246, and may use a developing roller that rotates in direct contact with the photosensitive surface of the photoconductor drum 21 as long as the developing device is able to develop an electrostatic latent image.
The image forming apparatus 1 may directly transfer a toner image formed on the photoconductor drum 21 of the imaging device 2 onto the recording medium 9 without adopting the intermediate transfer method. In this case, the recording medium 9 may be directly transported between the photoconductor drum 21 and a transfer roller in the imaging device 2, or may be transported between the photoconductor drum 21 and the transfer roller while being held on a transport belt.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-099675 | Apr 2010 | JP | national |
