Patent Application
20130136499
This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-257631, filed on 25 Nov. 2011, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus employing xerography, provided with a neutralizing unit that neutralizes electric charge on an image supporting body by irradiating the image supporting body with light.
In an image forming apparatus employing xerography, a two-step transfer method is widely used. In the two-step transfer method, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a surface of a photoreceptor drum as an image supporting body by electrically charging the surface of the photoreceptor drum and then exposing the surface of the photoreceptor drum thus charged; a toner image is formed by developing the electrostatic latent image by a toner; the toner image is primarily transferred to an intermediate transfer belt; and the toner image thus transferred to the intermediate transfer belt is secondarily transferred to paper as a transfer object.
For example, in a tandem-type image forming apparatus, a circular transfer belt is used as the intermediate transfer belt. The transfer belt is stretched around a driving roller and a driven roller, and rotates in a predetermined direction. Photoreceptor drums (image supporting bodies) of each color (magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y) and black (Bk)) are arranged at intervals in a rotational direction of the circular intermediate transfer belt to face a primary transfer roller across the intermediate transfer belt. In the tandem-type image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a peripheral surface of each photoreceptor drum by an exposing apparatus, and the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing apparatus. The image forming apparatus transfers the toner images formed on the photoreceptor drums to the intermediate transfer belt to overlap with each other, and transfers the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt onto a sheet of paper being conveyed, to thereby form (print) an image.
Such an image forming apparatus has a problem of a transfer memory image and an exposure memory image being generated on the surface of the photoreceptor drum. The transfer memory image is generated in the following situation. The transfer current from the paper to the photoreceptor drum is different between a printed part and an unprinted part; a current value is lower in the printed part due to presence of the toner; and the surface potential thereof is higher than the peripheral potential corresponding to the unprinted part by several volts to several dozen volts, upon second electrical charging. When a transfer memory image is generated, a part in which the memory image is generated is printed lighter than a periphery in a background part.
In addition, an exposure memory image is generated due to a difference in surface potential, being lower than the peripheral potential by several volts to several dozen volts, upon follow-up exposure of an exposed part. When an exposure memory image is generated, a part in which the memory image is generated is printed darker than a periphery in a background part.
The difference in surface potential causing the transfer memory image and the exposure memory image depends on a configuration and the like of the apparatus.
In order to suppress the abovementioned transfer memory image and the exposure memory image, it is preferable that a region before the primary transfer and a region after the primary transfer on the photoreceptor drum are respectively irradiated with neutralization light, to neutralize electric charge on the surface of the photoreceptor drum.
For a neutralization unit provided in an image forming apparatus that irradiates a region before the primary transfer and a region after the primary transfer on a photoreceptor drum with neutralization light before and after the primary transfer, the following configuration is known. More specifically, the neutralization unit has a configuration in which: a substrate is arranged between a primary transfer position on a photoreceptor drum and a cleaning unit that cleans residual toner remaining on the photoreceptor drum; an LED chip is attached to one face of the substrate as a neutralization light source that irradiates a region on the photoreceptor drum after the primary transfer; and a through opening is formed at a position on the substrate at which the LED chip is attached through which a part of light emitted from the LED chip passes to another face of the substrate, to thereby irradiate the region before the primary transfer on an adjacent photoreceptor drum.
In the abovementioned image forming apparatus, it is required that a part of the light emitted from the LED chip passes through the through opening formed on the substrate. As a result, intensity of the neutralization light that is emitted to the region before the primary transfer on the adjacent photoreceptor drum is unstable and variable. Therefore, the intensity of the light passing through the through opening is difficult to adjust appropriately. This may lead to excessively intense neutralization light emitted to the region before the primary transfer, and, especially upon multiple transfer in a tandem-type image forming apparatus, a color toner on a downstream side may be scattered from the photoreceptor drum. In addition, depending on a shape and finishing of the through opening, the neutralization light for the region before the primary transfer may peak locally and may generate a slight vertical line on an image.
The present disclosure is an image forming apparatus comprising: a circular transfer belt that rotates in a predetermined direction; and a plurality of image forming units that is arranged at intervals in a rotational direction of the transfer belt. Each of the plurality of image forming units includes: an image supporting body that is arranged to face a primary transfer position on an outer face of the transfer belt and configured to be rotatable; a charging unit that electrically charges the image supporting body; an exposing unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on the image supporting body; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed by the exposing unit with a toner to thereby form a toner image; a neutralizing unit that neutralizes electric charge on the image supporting body by irradiating the image supporting body with light; and a cleaning unit that cleans residual toner remaining on the image supporting body. In at least one of the plurality of image forming units, the neutralizing unit is arranged between the primary transfer position and the cleaning unit in a rotational direction of the image supporting body. The neutralizing unit irradiates a first neutralization light onto a region on the image supporting body constituting the image forming unit, the region spanning from a position facing the primary transfer position to a position facing the cleaning unit. The neutralizing unit irradiates a second neutralization light onto a region on the image supporting body constituting an image forming unit arranged adjacently to the image forming unit on a downstream side thereof in the rotational direction of the transfer belt, the region spanning from a position facing the developing unit to a position facing the primary transfer position. The neutralizing unit includes: an elongated light guiding body having a longitudinal direction and a shorter direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction; a neutralization light source that guides light into the light guiding body in the longitudinal direction, from an end face thereof in the longitudinal direction; and a first reflective part and a second reflective part provided at different positions on a side face of the light guiding body in the shorter direction. The first reflective part forms the first neutralization light by reflecting the light from the neutralization light source to the shorter direction. The second reflective part forms the second neutralization light by reflecting the light from the neutralization light source to the shorter direction.
A first embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings. An overall structure of the printer 1 as a first embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure is described with reference to
As shown in
As shown in
The four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d are: the image forming unit 15a for yellow, the image forming unit 15b for cyan, the image forming unit 15c for magenta, and the image forming unit 15c for black, in this order from the upstream side.
The belt cleaning unit 20 is disposed on an outer face of the intermediate transfer belt 7, to face the upstream side of the four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d in the rotational direction R1 of the intermediate transfer belt 7. The belt cleaning unit 20 removes the residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 7. The belt cleaning unit 20 includes: a rotational brush 21 that rotates in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 7; a rotational roller 22 that sweeps away the residual toner scraped off by the rotational brush 21; and a residual toner container 23 that receives the residual toner thus swept.
The four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d include: photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d as image supporting bodies (photoreceptors); charging units 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d; laser scanner units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d as exposure units; developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d; toner cartridges 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d; toner feeding units 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d; cleaning units 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d; neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d; the intermediate transfer belt 7; and primary transfer rollers 37a, 37b, 37c, and 37d.
As shown in
Configurations of the four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d and the paper feeding/discharging unit KH of the image forming portion GK are described in detail hereinafter. First, the image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d of the image forming portion GK are described.
In the image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d, performed on a surface of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d are: charging by the charging portions 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d; exposure by the laser scanner units 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d; development by the developing units 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d; primary transfer by the intermediate transfer belt 7 and the primary transfer rollers 37a, 37b, 37c and 37d; static neutralization by the neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d; and cleaning by the cleaning units 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d, from an upstream side to a downstream side. In addition, secondary transfer by the intermediate transfer belt 7, the secondary transfer roller 8 and the opposing roller 18, and fusion by the fusing unit 9 are performed.
Each of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d is composed of a cylindrically shaped member and function as a photoreceptor or an image supporting body. The photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d are disposed to face primary transfer positions (described later) on the side of the outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt 7 respectively, so as to be rotatable in a direction of an arrow, about an axis that extends in a direction orthogonal to a direction of movement of the intermediate transfer belt 7. An electrostatic latent image can be formed on a surface of each of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d.
The charging portions 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d are disposed so as to face a surface of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively. The charging portions 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d uniformly negatively charge (negative polarity) or positively charge (positive polarity) the surface of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively.
The laser scanner units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d, which function as the exposure units, are disposed to be spaced apart from a surface of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively. The laser scanner units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d include, respectively, a laser light source, a polygon mirror, a polygon mirror driving motor and the like, which are not illustrated.
The laser scanner units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d scan and expose the surface of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d respectively, based on image information input from an external device such as a PC (personal computer). An electric charge of an exposed part of the surface of each of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d is removed, which are scanned and exposed by the laser scanner units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d, respectively. In this way, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a surface of each of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d.
The developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d are disposed to correspond to the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively, facing corresponding surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. The developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d each form a toner image of each color on the surface of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d by depositing toner of each color on the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of each of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. The developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d correspond to four colors: yellow, cyan, magenta, and black, respectively. The developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d include developing rollers that are disposed to face the surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, stirring rollers for stirring toners, respectively, and the like.
The toner cartridges 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are provided corresponding to the developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d, respectively, and store the toners of different colors that are supplied to the developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d, respectively. The toner cartridges 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d store toners of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black respectively.
The toner feeding portions 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d are provided correspondingly to the toner cartridges 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d and the developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d, respectively. The toner feeding portions 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d supply the toners of the colors stored in the toner cartridges 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d to the developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d, respectively. The toner feeding portions 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d are connected with the developing units 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d, respectively, via toner feeding paths (not illustrated).
Toner images of respective colors formed on the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d are primarily transferred in sequence to the intermediate transfer belt 7. The intermediate transfer belt 7 is stretched around a driven roller 35, the opposing roller 18 consisting of a driving roller, a tension roller 36 (not illustrated in
Primary transfer rollers 37a, 37b, 37c, and 37d are arranged to face the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively, across the intermediate transfer belt 7.
Predetermined parts of the intermediate transfer belt 7 are sandwiched between the primary transfer rollers 37a, 37b, 37c, and 37d and the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d.
The sandwiched parts are pressed against surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. Primary transfer nips N1a, N1b, N1c, and N1d are thus formed between the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d and the primary transfer rollers 37a, 37b, 37c, and 37d, respectively. On each of the primary transfer nips N1a, N1b, N1c, and N1d, the toner images of the colors developed on the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d are primarily transferred sequentially to the intermediate transfer belt 7. In this manner, a full-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 7.
A primary transfer bias is applied to each of the primary transfer rollers 37a, 37b, 37c, and 37d by a primary transfer bias application portion (not shown). The primary transfer bias is a bias for transferring the toner images of the colors formed respectively on the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d to the intermediate transfer belt 7.
The neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d are disposed to face surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively. The neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d neutralize electricity (eliminate an electrical charge) of surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively, after the primary transfer, by irradiating the surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d with light. A specific configuration of the neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d is described later.
The cleaning units 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d are disposed so as to face the surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively. The cleaning units 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d remove toner and attached matter remaining on the surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, respectively, and make the removed toner and the like carried to a predetermined collection mechanism for collection.
The secondary transfer roller 8 secondarily transfers the full-color toner image, which has been primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 7, to the paper T. A secondary transfer bias is applied to the secondary transfer roller 8, by a secondary transfer bias application unit (not illustrated). The secondary transfer bias is a bias for transferring the full-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 7 to the paper T.
The secondary transfer roller 8 is brought into contact with, and spaced apart from, the intermediate transfer belt 7. More specifically, the secondary transfer roller 8 is configured to be movable between a contact position at which it is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 7 and a spaced position at which it is spaced apart from the intermediate transfer belt 7. In particular, the secondary transfer roller 8 is disposed at the contact position for transferring the toner image primarily transferred to a surface of the intermediate transfer belt 7 to the paper T, and at the spaced position in all other circumstances.
The opposing roller 18 is disposed opposite to the secondary transfer roller 8 across the intermediate transfer belt 7. A predetermined part of the intermediate transfer belt 7 is sandwiched between the secondary transfer roller 8 and the opposing roller 18. The sheet of paper T is pressed against an outer surface (a surface to which the toner image is primarily transferred) of the intermediate transfer belt 7. A secondary transfer nip N2 is formed between the intermediate transfer belt 7 and the secondary transfer roller 8. On the secondary transfer nip N2, the full-color toner image primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 7 is secondarily transferred to the paper T.
The fusing unit 9 fuses and pressurizes color toners composing the toner image secondarily transferred to the paper T, in order to fix the color toners on the paper T. The fusing unit 9 includes a heating rotator 9a that is heated by a heater, and a pressurizing rotator 9b that is brought into pressure-contact with the heating rotator 9a. The heating rotator 9a and the pressurizing rotator 9b sandwich and compress, and convey the paper T to which the toner image is secondarily transferred. The sheet of paper T is fed while sandwiched between the heating rotator 9a and the pressurizing rotator 9b, so that the toner transferred to the sheet of paper is fused and pressurized to be fixed to the sheet of paper T.
Next, the paper feeding/discharging unit KH is described.
As shown in
The manual feeding unit 64 is provided on a left lateral face (the left side in
The paper feed path L includes: a first paper feed path L1 from the cassette feeding unit 51 to the secondary transfer nip N2; a second paper feed path L2 from the secondary transfer nip N2 to the fixing part 9; a third paper feed path L3 from the fixing part 9 to the discharging part 50; the manual paper feed path La that guides paper fed from the feeding unit 64 to the first paper feed path L1; and a reverse paper feed path Lb that reverses and returns the paper that is fed from a downstream side to an upstream side in the third paper feed path L3 to the first paper feed path L1.
The first paper path L1 feeds the paper T stored in the paper feeding cassette 52 toward the image forming portion GK. The manual paper feed path La feeds the paper T stored in the manual feeding portion 64 toward the registration roller pair 80 (described later).
In addition, a first junction P1 and a second junction P2 are provided in the middle of the first paper path L1. A first branch portion Q1 is provided in the middle of the third paper feed path L3. The first junction P1 is a junction where the manual paper feed path La joins the first paper feed path L1. The second junction P2 is a junction where the reverse paper path Lb joins the first paper path L1. The first branch portion Q1 is a branch portion where the reverse paper path Lb branches off from the third paper path L3.
A paper detection sensor (not illustrated) for detecting the paper T and a registration roller pair 80 are disposed in the middle of the first paper path L1 (more specifically, between the second junction P2 and the secondary transfer roller 8). The registration roller pair 80 is designed for skew compensation of the paper T and timing adjustment between formation of the toner image in the image forming portion GK and conveyance of the paper T. The paper detection sensor is disposed immediately before the registration roller pair 80 in a conveying direction of the paper T (on an upstream side thereof in the conveying direction). The registration roller pair 80 conveys the paper T while performing the above-mentioned compensation and the timing adjustment based on detection information from the paper detection sensor.
A first feeding roller pair 82 as a first roller is disposed between the first junction P1 and the second junction P2 in the first paper path L1. The first feeding roller pair 82 is disposed on the downstream side of the paper feeding roller pair 81. The first feeding roller pair 82 sandwiches and feeds the paper T, which is fed from the paper feeding roller pair 81, to the registration roller pair 80 as the second roller.
For a case of performing duplex printing of the paper T, a reverse paper path Lb is provided for making an opposite surface (an unprinted surface), to a surface that has already been printed, face toward the intermediate transfer belt 7. A plurality of second feeding roller pairs 83 that feed the paper T to the second junction P2 is disposed at predetermined intervals in the reverse paper path Lb. The reverse paper feed path Lb can reverse and return the paper T, fed from the first branch portion Q1 toward the discharging part 50, to the first paper feed path L1, in order to feed the paper T to an upstream side of the registration roller pair 80 disposed on an upstream side of the secondary transfer roller 8. At the secondary transfer nip N2, a predetermined toner image is transferred to the unprinted surface of the sheet of paper T that has been reversed by the return paper feed path Lb.
A regulating member 58 is provided in the first branch portion Q1. The regulating member 58 regulates a feed direction of the paper T, which is discharged from the fusing unit 9 and fed from the upstream side to the downstream side of the third paper feed path L3, to a direction toward the discharging part 50. In addition, the regulating member 58 shunts a conveying direction of the paper T, which is conveyed from discharging part 50 from the downstream side to the upstream side of the third paper path L3, to a direction toward the reverse paper path Lb.
The discharging part 50 is formed in an end portion of the third paper path L3. The discharging part 50 is disposed in an upper portion of the apparatus main body M. The ejecting part 50 has an opening toward a left lateral face of the apparatus main body M (left side in
An ejected paper accumulating portion M1 is formed in the vicinity of the opening of the discharging part 50. The ejected paper accumulating portion M1 is formed on an upper face (outer face) of the apparatus main body M. The ejected paper accumulating portion M1 is a portion of the upper face of the apparatus main body M formed to be dented downward. The bottom face of the ejected paper accumulating portion M1 is composed of a top cover member M2 as an open/close member constituting a part of the upper face of the apparatus main body M. The paper T, on which a predetermined toner image is formed and which is ejected from the discharging part 50, is stacked and accumulated on the upper face of the top cover member M2 constituting the ejected paper accumulating portion M1. A sensor for detecting a sheet of paper is disposed at a predetermined position of each paper path.
Next, operation of the printer 1 according to the first embodiment is briefly described with reference to
The paper T contained in the paper feeding cassette 52 is fed to the first paper feed path L1 by the forward feed roller 61 and the paper feeding roller pair 81, and then fed to the registration roller pair 80 by the first feeding roller pair 82 via the first junction P1 and the first paper feed path L1. The registration roller pair 80 performs skew compensation of the paper T and timing adjustment with respect to the toner image in the image forming portion GK.
The paper T discharged from the registration roller pair 80 is introduced into between the intermediate transfer belt 7 and the secondary transfer roller 8 (the secondary transfer nip N2) via the first paper path L1. A toner image is transferred to the paper T between the intermediate transfer belt 7 and the secondary transfer roller 8. Thereafter, the paper T is discharged from between the intermediate transfer belt 7 and the secondary transfer roller 8, and introduced into the fixing nip between the heating rotator 9a and the pressurizing rotator 9b in the fusing unit 9. Toner is then fused in the fixing nip and fixed onto the paper T.
Subsequently, the paper T is conveyed to the discharging part 50 via the third paper path L3 and ejected from the discharging part 50 to the ejected paper accumulating portion M1 by the discharging roller pair 53. Single-side printing on the paper T stored in the paper feeding cassette 52 is thus completed.
In a case of single-side printing on the paper T placed on the manual feeding tray 65, the paper T placed on the manual feeding tray 65 is dispatched to the manual paper path La by the paper feeding roller 66, and then conveyed to the registration roller pair 80 via the first junction P1 and the first paper path L1. Other operations are the same as in the case of single-side printing on the paper T stored in the paper feeding cassette 52, and therefore descriptions thereof are omitted.
Next, operation of the printer 1 performing duplex printing is described.
In a case of single-side printing, as described above, printing is completed by ejecting the paper T printed on one side from the paper discharging part 50 to the ejected paper accumulating portion M1. On the other hand, in a case of duplex printing, the paper T printed on one side is reversed and reconveyed to the registration roller pair 80 via the reverse paper path Lb to thereby perform printing on another side.
In more detail, the operation is the same as in the abovementioned single-side printing until before discharging of the paper T printed on one side from the paper discharging part 50 by the discharging roller pair 53. However, in a case of duplex printing, the discharging roller pair 53 stops rotating and rotates again in an opposite direction, in a state of holding the paper T printed on one side. By thus rotating the discharging roller pair 53 in an opposite direction, the paper T held by the discharging roller pair 53 is conveyed in an opposite direction in the third paper path L3 (a direction from the paper discharging part 50 to the first branch portion Q1).
As described above, when the paper T is conveyed in the opposite direction in the third paper path L3, the regulating member 58 directs the paper T to the reverse paper path Lb. And then the paper T enters into the first paper path L1 via the second junction P2. Here, the paper T is reversed from the orientation thereof in printing on the one side.
Furthermore, the registration roller pair 80 performs the abovementioned compensation or the abovementioned adjustment on the paper T, which is then introduced into the secondary transfer nip N2 via the first paper path L1. Since an unprinted surface of the paper T faces the intermediate transfer belt 7 as a result of passing through the reverse paper feed path Lb, a toner image is transferred to the unprinted surface and duplex printing is thus realized.
Next, a configuration of the neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d in the four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d of the printer 1 according to the first embodiment is described with reference to
As shown in
The neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d irradiate regions on the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d constituting the four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d with first neutralization light 131, the regions spanning from positions facing the primary transfer positions to positions facing the cleaning units 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d, respectively. The neutralization units 12a, 12b, and 12c are configured to irradiate regions on the photoreceptor drums 2b, 2c and 2d constituting the three image forming units 15b, 15c, and 15d that are adjacent to the image forming units 15a, 15b, and 15c on the downstream side in the rotational direction R1 of the intermediate transfer belt 7 with second neutralization light 132, the regions spanning from positions facing the developing units 16b, 16c, and 16d to positions facing the primary transfer positions.
The photoreceptor drum 2a, which constitutes the image forming unit 15a arranged on the most upstream side in the rotational direction R1 of the intermediate transfer belt 7 among the four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d, is not irradiated with the second neutralization light 132.
As shown in
The elongated light guiding body 121 has a longitudinal direction X1-X2 that is orthogonal to the rotational direction R1 of the intermediate transfer belt 7 and a shorter direction Y1-Y2 that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction X1-X2. The neutralization light source 122 introduces light from a first end face 121a of the light guiding body 121 in the longitudinal direction X1-X2 to a second end face 121b in the longitudinal direction X1-X2. As the neutralization light source 122, an LED is used.
As shown in
The first reflective part 123 and the second reflective part 124 are formed along substantially the whole length of the elongated light guiding body 121 in the longitudinal direction X1-X2, at least along a width of a charged region. Central positions 123a and 124a of widths in the peripheral direction of the substantially cylindrical light guiding body 121 at the first reflective part 123 and the second reflective part 124, respectively, are in a positional relationship except for 180° in the peripheral direction of the light guiding body 121, for example from 120° to 150°.
The first reflective part 123 reflects the light emitted from the neutralization light source 122 to the shorter direction, in other words peripherally outward from a center O of the cylindrical light guiding body 121, thereby forming the first neutralization light 131. The second reflective part 124 reflects the light emitted from the neutralization light source 122 to the shorter direction, in other words peripherally outward, differently from the first neutralization light 131, from the center O of the cylindrical light guiding body 121, thereby forming the second neutralization light 132.
The positional relationship except for 180° as described above can realize a configuration in which the first neutralization light 131 is not incident upon the second reflective part 124 and the second neutralization light 132 is not incident upon the first reflective part 123.
As shown in
In the above-described configuration, as shown in
Since the first neutralization light 131 for post-transfer neutralization has a relatively short optical path, the relatively small incident angle θ1 would not be a problem. On the other hand, since the second neutralization light 132 for pre-transfer neutralization has a relatively long optical path, the incident angle θ2 must be relatively great.
The incident angle θ1 of the first neutralization light 131 and the incident angle θ2 of the second neutralization light 132 are angles between: incident lines of the first neutralization light 131 and the second neutralization light 132; and tangents of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d passing through incident points of the first neutralization light 131 and the second neutralization light 132 (dashed-dotted line in
Next, operation of the neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d in the present embodiment is described. The neutralization light source 122 is turned on to introduce light from the first end face 121a of the substantially cylindrical light guiding body 121 in the longitudinal direction X1-X2, along the longitudinal direction of the light guiding body 121. The light thus introduced is reflected by the first reflective part 123 and the second reflective part 124, thereby forming the first neutralization light 131 and the second neutralization light 132.
The first neutralization light 131 irradiates regions on the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d constituting the four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d, the regions spanning from positions facing the primary transfer positions to positions facing the cleaning units 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d, respectively. The first neutralization light 131 thus neutralizes residual charge on the surface of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d after the primary transfer of a toner image to the intermediate transfer belt 7 (post-transfer neutralization).
As a result, generation of the exposure memory image due to a difference in surface potential, being lower than the peripheral potential, caused upon follow-up charging of the exposed part can be suppressed. In other words, a phenomenon in which a part in which the memory image is generated is printed darker than a periphery in a background part can be suppressed.
On the other hand, the second neutralization light 132 irradiates regions on the photoreceptor drums 2b, 2c and 2d constituting the four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d, the regions spanning from positions facing the developing units 16b, 16c and 16d to positions facing the primary transfer positions, respectively. The second neutralization light 132 thus neutralizes the electrical charge so that surface charge becomes uniform in regions in which toner images are formed on the photoreceptor drums 2b, 2c and 2d (pre-transfer neutralization).
As a result, generation of the transfer memory image due to a difference in surface potential upon follow-up charging, higher than the peripheral potential in non-printed regions, caused by residual toner that reduces a current value can be suppressed. In other words, a phenomenon in which a part in which the memory image is generated is printed lighter than a periphery in a background part can be suppressed.
As described above, in the present embodiment, by providing the neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d, each composed of the elongated light guiding body 121 and the neutralization light source 122, in the four image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c and 15d respectively, first neutralization (post-transfer neutralization) for neutralizing the residual charge on the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d after transfer of the toner image to the intermediate transfer belt 7 and second neutralization (pre-transfer neutralization) for reducing potential of entire peripheral surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 2b, 2c and 2d of the three image forming units 15b, 15c and 15d on the downstream side in the rotational direction R1 of the intermediate transfer belt 7 can be performed simultaneously. As a result, the residual charge on the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d can be sufficiently neutralized to thereby sufficiently suppress generation of the transfer memory image and the exposure memory image.
The first embodiment provides the following effects, for example.
In the plurality of (four) image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c and 15d in the printer 1 of the first embodiment, the neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d disposed between the primary transfer position and the cleaning units 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d irradiate the regions on the photoreceptor drums constituting the image forming units 15a, 15b, 15c and 15d with the first neutralization light 131, the regions spanning from positions facing the primary transfer positions to positions facing the cleaning units 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d. In addition, the neutralization units 12b, 12c and 12d irradiate regions on the photoreceptor drums 2b, 2c and 2d constituting the image forming units 15b, 15c, and 15d that are disposed adjacently on the downstream side in the rotational direction of the intermediate transfer belt 7 with the second neutralization light 132, the regions spanning from positions facing the developing units 16b, 16c, and 16d and to positions facing the primary transfer positions.
The first neutralization light 131 thus neutralizes residual charge on the surface of the photoreceptor drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d after the primary transfer of the toner image to the intermediate transfer belt 7. Generation of the exposure memory image can thus be suppressed. In addition, the second neutralization light 132 neutralizes the electrical charge so that surface charge becomes uniform in regions in which toner images are formed on the photoreceptor drums 2b, 2c and 2d, to thereby suppress generation of the transfer memory image. A phenomenon in which a part in which the memory image is generated is printed lighter or darker than a periphery in a background part can be suppressed.
In addition, in the printer 1 of the first embodiment, the neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d are respectively provided with: the elongated light guiding body 121; the neutralization light source 122 that guides light into the light guiding body 121 in the longitudinal direction X1-X2, from the end face 121a thereof in the longitudinal direction; and the first reflective part 123 that reflects the light emitted from the neutralization light source 122 to the shorter direction Y1-Y2 to thereby form the first neutralization light 131 and the second reflective part 124 that reflects the light emitted from the neutralization light source 122 to the shorter direction Y1-Y2 to thereby form the second neutralization light 132, provided at different positions on a side face of the light guiding body 121 in the shorter direction Y1-Y2.
In such a configuration, both the first neutralization light 131 effective for suppression of generation of the exposure memory image and the second neutralization light 132 effective for suppression of generation of the transfer memory image can be formed by a single pair of the neutralization light source 122 and the light guiding body 121. The neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d can thus be simplified in configuration, reduced in cost, and made more energy efficient.
In addition, the first neutralization light 131 and the second neutralization light 132 can be formed by introducing the light from the neutralization light source 122 to the elongated light guiding body 121 through the end face 121a thereof in the longitudinal direction X1-X2 and making the light reflect, without passing through a through opening or the like. The intensity of the first neutralization light 131 and the second neutralization light 132 can thus be stabilized and optimized. An effect of suppressing generation of the exposure memory image and the transfer memory image can thus be more readily realized.
In addition, in the printer 1 of the first embodiment, the first reflective part 123 and the second reflective part 124 are formed in serrated shapes with a plurality of concave grooves 125 and concave grooves 126 provided uniformly on side faces of the light guiding body 121. Given this, by changing the pitch P10 of the plurality of concave grooves 125 and the pitch P20 of the plurality of concave grooves 126 appropriately, the intensity of the first neutralization light 131 and the second neutralization light 132 can be easily and appropriately adjusted, thereby further improving the effect of suppressing generation of the exposure memory image and the transfer memory image.
Furthermore, in the printer 1 of the first embodiment, the pitch P10 of the plurality of concave grooves 125 on the first reflective part 123 is set to be smaller than pitch P20 of the plurality of concave grooves 126 on the second reflective part 124. As a result, the intensity of the first neutralization light 131 can be made greater than the intensity of the second neutralization light 132, to sufficiently suppress generation of the exposure memory image. In addition, since the intensity of the second neutralization light 132 is relatively low and does not peak locally, problems such as a color toner on a downstream side scattering from a photoreceptor drum upon multi-color transfer, and a slight vertical line generated on an image can be suppressed.
Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The description of the second embodiment will focus on the points of difference from the first embodiment, and those aspects of configuration that are the same as the first embodiment are denoted with the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. Description in relation to the first embodiment is suitably applied in relation to points that are not described in particular detail in relation to the second embodiment. In addition, the second embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment.
The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in a vertical cross-sectional shape of the light guiding bodies 121 in the neutralization units 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d. For the second embodiment, the difference is mainly described.
As shown in
Among eight faces of the abovementioned elongated light guiding body 121 in the irregular octagonal shape, one of the two adjacent faces forming the apex spaced apart from an opposing apex has the serrated first reflective part 123, and opposite one of the two adjacent faces forming the apex has the serrated second reflective part 124, along an entire length of the light guiding body 121 in the longitudinal direction X1-X2.
As in the first embodiment, central positions 123a and 124a of widths in the peripheral direction of the light guiding body 121 at the first reflective part 123 and the second reflective part 124, respectively, are in a positional relationship except for 180° in the peripheral direction of the light guiding body 121.
The first reflective part 123 reflects the light emitted from the neutralization light source 122 to the shorter direction, in other words peripherally outward from a center O of the light guiding body 121, thereby forming the first neutralization light 131. The second reflective part 124 reflects the light emitted from the neutralization light source 122 to the shorter direction, in other words peripherally outward, differently from the first neutralization light 131, from the center O of the light guiding body 121, thereby forming the second neutralization light 132.
Among eight faces of the abovementioned elongated light guiding body 121 in the irregular octagonal shape, the two adjacent faces forming the apex approaching an opposing apex and the two adjacent faces on an opposite side are coated with reflective layers 128 and 129, respectively. The reflective layers 128, 129 allows appropriate adjustment of intensity of the first neutralization light 131 and the second neutralization light 132 by choosing thickness of the layers, a coating agent, and the like.
With the light guiding body 121 of the second embodiment, diffusion of the first neutralization light 131 and the second neutralization light 132, and generation of flare can be suppressed.
A preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and can be carried out in various modes.
For example, in the above embodiments, the light guiding body 121 of the substantially cylindrical shape or the irregular octagonal shape has been described; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As long as the positional relationship between the first reflective part 123 and the second reflective part 124 can be in an angle other than 180° in the peripheral direction of the light guiding body 121, the light guiding body having a cross-section of a substantially regular hexagonal shape or a substantially regular octagonal shape can be used.
The image forming apparatus of the present disclosure is not particularly limited, and can be, in addition to a printer, a color copy machine, a facsimile machine, and a multi-functional printer having functions thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-257631 | Nov 2011 | JP | national |
