IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING PAPER DUST COLLECTING ROLLER

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a paper-dust collecting roller, a paper-dust removing member, a conveying roller, and an urging member. The paper-dust collecting roller is rotatably supported at a fixed position in the main casing so as to confront a conveying path of a recording medium. The paper-dust collecting roller is configured to collect paper dusts adhering to the recording medium. The paper-dust removing member removes the paper dusts collected by the paper-dust collecting roller. The conveying roller is supported at a position in confrontation with the paper-dust collecting roller across the conveying path. The conveying roller is configured to remove relative to the paper-dust collecting roller. The urging member urges the conveying roller toward the paper-dust collecting roller.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrative aspects in accordance with the invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing schematic configuration of a laser printer according to illustrative aspects of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing schematic configuration of the laser printer in a state where a front cover of the laser printer is opened;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the laser printer;

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state where process cartridges are being replaced;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sheet feed unit provided at the front cover when viewed from obliquely above;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view when viewed from obliquely below (the opposite side to the side in FIG. 5);

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where structure containing a gear coupled to the sheet feed unit is detached;

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged side cross-sectional view of the laser printer;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a sheet feed unit and the surrounding area, taken along a line IX-IX in FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of the front cover in FIG. 9 in an open position;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a structure of transmitting a rotational force to the conveying roller and the paper dust collecting roller;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a joint connects a connecting shaft to the conveying roller;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state where the joint is detached; and

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration in which the conveying roller is movable relative to the paper dust collecting roller.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a main casing;a paper-dust collecting roller that is rotatably supported at a fixed position in the main casing so as to confront a conveying path of a recording medium, the paper-dust collecting roller being configured to collect paper dusts adhering to the recording medium;a paper-dust removing member that removes the paper dusts collected by the paper-dust collecting roller;a conveying roller that is supported at a position in confrontation with the paper-dust collecting roller across the conveying path, the conveying roller being configured to move relative to the paper-dust collecting roller; andan urging member that urges the conveying roller toward the paper-dust collecting roller.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying roller includes a roller shaft to which a rotational driving force is supplied, further comprising a joint that is coupled to the conveying roller and that is configured to follow movement of the conveying roller relative to the paper-dust collecting roller, thereby transmitting the rotational driving force to the paper-dust collecting roller.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a bearing member that is configured to move relative to the paper-dust collecting roller and that rotatably supports the roller shaft.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a circular hole is formed in the bearing member, the roller shaft being rotatably supported by the circular hole; wherein the main casing is formed with a guide hole, the guide hole being an elliptic hole which is long in a direction connecting between an axial center of the conveying roller and an axial center of the paper-dust collecting roller; andwherein the roller shaft is accommodated in the guide hole so as to be freely movable along a longitudinal direction of the guide hole.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a protruding part that protrudes from the main casing, wherein the bearing member is formed with an escape hole that accommodates the protruding part and that has an inner circumference, the escape hole being an elliptic hole which is long in a conveying direction for conveying the recording medium, allowing a gap to be formed between the protruding part and the inner circumference when the protruding part is accommodated in the escape hole.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a connecting shaft configured to receive the rotational driving force, wherein the joint has one axial end connected to the connecting shaft and formed as a universal joint, and another axial end connected to the roller shaft and formed as a universal joint.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of the one axial end and the another axial end has an engaging concave part that is formed by forming notches on both ends of a circular concave part; and wherein each of the connecting shaft and the roller shaft has an engaging convex part that engages a corresponding one of the engaging concave part.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising: a main casing having a cover that is configured to open and close;a paper-dust collecting roller disposed at a position along a conveying path of a recording medium, the paper-dust collecting roller being configured to collect paper dusts adhering to the recording medium;a paper-dust removing member that removes the paper dusts collected by the paper-dust collecting roller;a paper-dust conveying unit that conveys the paper dusts removed by the paper-dust removing member; anda paper-dust storing unit that stores the paper dusts conveyed by the paper-dust conveying unit, the paper-dust storing unit being provided at the cover.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the paper-dust collecting roller, the paper-dust removing member, and the paper-dust conveying unit are provided at the cover, in addition to the paper-dust storing unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the paper-dust conveying unit conveys the paper dusts to an outside region of the conveying path, the outside region being a region outside the conveying path with respect to a widthwise direction of the recording medium; and wherein the paper-dust storing unit stores the paper dusts conveyed to the outside region in a vertical direction when the main casing is disposed in an orientation in which the main casing is intended to be used.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a paper-dust passage is provided through which the paper dusts conveyed to the outside region pass; and wherein the paper-dust storing unit stores the paper dusts which have passed through the paper-dust passage.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the paper-dust storing unit includes: a primary paper-dust storing unit that stores the paper dusts conveyed by the paper-dust conveying unit; anda secondary paper-dust storing unit that is provided in communication with the primary paper-dust storing unit, the secondary paper-dust storing unit being configured to store paper dusts that moves from the primary paper-dust storing unit when the cover is opened.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a cover pivoting shaft that pivotally supports the cover, wherein the cover is configured to pivotally move to open and close about the cover pivoting shaft.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the main casing has a front surface which is intended to be positioned to confront a user when the main casing is disposed in an orientation in which the main casing is intended to be used; and wherein the cover pivoting shaft is provided at a lower end of the front surface.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the cover is maintained at an open state at a predetermined open position; and wherein the secondary paper-dust storing unit is positioned below the primary paper-dust storing unit at the predetermined open position.