1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conveying device that conveys a recording medium for duplex printing in an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile, and a printing machine uses a technology for forming an image on a recording medium such as recording paper by electrophotography. The image forming apparatus can form the image in monochrome or in multicolor. In either case, a development device visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor that is used as a latent image holder, the visualized image is transferred to the recording paper, and then the image is fixed.
There have been increasing needs for a technology for forming images on both sides of the recording paper, and there is a technology for reversing a sheet of the recording paper with the image fixed on one side and then transferring another image on the other side.
For example, paragraph 0014 in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. H11-60081 discloses a technology for reversing a conveying direction of the fixed recording paper in a reverse conveying path below an imaging unit that forms and transfers an image, and feeding the paper to a transfer position by a resisting roller.
However, the technology involves the following problems. Because a reverse conveying unit is provided below the imaging unit in a chassis of the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus is tall.
Moreover, if a conveyance failure such as a paper jam occurs to the reverse conveying unit below the imaging unit, the failure cannot be easily fixed because the reverse conveying unit cannot be easily exposed.
It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve the problems in the conventional technology.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a conveying device, which conveys a sheet of non-blank recording medium printed with an image formed in an image forming unit, includes a container that is detachably disposed below the image forming unit in a chassis and contains a blank recording medium; a feeding unit that feeds the blank recording medium from the container to the image forming unit, wherein the image forming unit forms a first image on a first surface of the blank recording medium; and a recirculating path that leads the recording medium having the first image printed on the first surface to the feeding unit, wherein the feeding unit feeds the recording medium having the first image printed on the first surface to the image forming unit, and the image forming unit forms a second image on a second surface of the recording medium having the first image printed on the first surface, wherein the recirculating path is disposed lateral to the image forming unit, a part of the recirculating path is integrated into the container and forms a reversing path that leads to the feeding unit, and at least one of surfaces of the reversing path can be exposed.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that records a first image on a first surface of blank recording medium; and a conveying device. The conveying device includes a container that is detachably disposed below the image forming unit in a chassis and contains a sheet of the blank recording medium; a feeding unit that feeds the blank recording medium from the container to the image forming unit, wherein the image forming unit forms a first image on a first surface of the blank recording medium; and a recirculating path that leads the recording medium having the first image printed on the first surface to the feeding unit, wherein the feeding unit feeds the recording medium having the first image printed on the first surface to the image forming unit, and the image forming unit forms a second image on a second surface of the recording medium having the first image printed on the first surface, wherein the recirculating path is disposed lateral to the image forming unit, a part of the recirculating path is integrated into the container and forms a reversing path that leads to the feeding unit, and at least one of surfaces of the reversing path can be exposed.
The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained below in detail referring to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments explained below.
A color printer 1 includes imaging units 71a to 71d that include a photoreceptor used as a latent image holder and a unit that performs a charging process, a developing process, and a cleaning process to the photoreceptor with respect to each color. The color printer 1 uses a tandem system in which the imaging units 71a to 71d are arranged in parallel with one another along an extension of an intermediate transfer belt 28. The intermediate transfer belt 28 is used to sequentially transfer images in different colors formed by the corresponding imaging unit.
The color printer 1 includes a chassis 1A that houses an image forming unit 100, and the image forming unit 100 is disposed substantially at half the height of the chassis 1A. An optical scanning unit 72 is provided above the image forming unit 100, and a feeding unit 4 is provided below the image forming unit 100. The feeding unit 4 includes a feeding cassette that contains recording medium sheets such as recording paper (hereinafter, “recording paper”).
The imaging units 71a to 71d function as latent image holders, and include image holding units 20a to 20d, respectively. The image holding units 20a to 20d include photoreceptors (hereinafter, “photoreceptor drums”) 22a to 22d, charged rollers 21a to 21d, developing units 31a to 31d, and cleaning units 23a to 23d, respectively. Each of the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d is in the shape of a drum and rotates in a clockwise direction. Each of the charged rollers 21a to 21d contacts corresponding one of the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d. Each of, the developing units 31a to 31d includes corresponding one of developing rollers 32a to 32d that visualizes electrostatic latent images formed by one of the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d. Each of the cleaning units 23a to 23d includes a blade that contacts corresponding one of the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d and scrapes remaining toner.
In the image holding units 20a to 20d, the charged rollers 21a to 21d initially charge the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d equally at high potential in darkness, and the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d are selectively scanned for exposure based on image data using laser beams 36a to 36d emitted from the optical scanning unit. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed, which includes a low-potential area where electric potential has been attenuated by the exposure and a high-potential area formed by the initial charge. Each of the developing units 31a to 31d develops a toner image by transferring one of the low-potential area and the high-potential area of the electrostatic latent image for visualization.
Each of the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d conveys the toner image toward a primary transfer position to be described later by rotating in the clockwise direction. The latent image and the toner image are formed at a predetermined timing in each of the image holding units 20a to 20d. As described later, images in different colors such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, are primarily transferred in order from the image holding units 20a to 20d to the intermediate transfer belt 28, where an upper extension surface of the intermediate transfer belt 28 moves in a direction indicated by an arrow P in
In other words, at a moment that a first toner image transferred on the intermediate transfer belt 28 in the imaging unit 71a meets a contacting point between the intermediate transfer belt 28 and the photoreceptor drum 22a, the photoreceptor drum 22b in the imaging unit 71b operates like the imaging unit 71a. The developing unit 31b visualizes the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor drum 22b to form a second toner image, and conveys the second toner image to transfer it over the first toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 28. At the contacting point, a primary transfer roller 29a is located under the intermediate transfer belt 28. This process is repeated in the imaging units 71c and 71d.
For electrostatic development, metal cores (not shown) of the developing rollers 32a to 32d are applied with negatively charged bias voltage superposed with alternate current and direct current from a bias supply (not shown). The charged rollers 21a to 21d are applied with negatively charged bias voltage of a direct current from another bias supply (not shown) to charge the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d. For a primary transfer, the primary transfer roller 29a and primary transfer rollers 29b to 29c are provided under the intermediate transfer belt 28 that contacts the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d.
The image holding units 20a to 20d are different in the color of developer. Different colors of the toner such as cyan, yellow, magenta, and black are used as the developer with respect to each image holding unit. The image holding units 20a to 20d are arranged along the intermediate transfer belt 28 extended in the lateral direction, and the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d are arranged in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 28.
The intermediate transfer belt 28 is used for the primary transfer. The intermediate transfer belt 28 includes the upper extension surface that extends in the lateral direction in
The intermediate transfer belt 28 is pressed by the primary transfer rollers 29a to 29d so that the upper extension surface contacts the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d. While the intermediate transfer belt 28 moves with the upper extension surface in contact with the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d, the toner images are transferred from the photoreceptor drums 22a to 22d as described, and a quadruply layered full-color toner image is formed. The full-color toner image is transferred to the recording paper at a time by the secondary transfer roller 39 in the secondary transfer unit 50.
The toner image transferred to the recording paper is fixed by a fixing unit 70, and discharged to a paper receiver 5 via a discharging path 81 by a discharging unit 80 including a pair of rollers. Otherwise, after being fixed, the toner image is recirculated toward the secondary transfer unit 50. The former case is selected for one-side printing, and the latter case is selected for duplex printing.
For the duplex printing, the recording paper is conveyed to a recirculating path 82 to be described later in a direction indicated by an arrow F in
The conveying device includes a container that contains the recording paper and a unit that feeds the recording paper from the container, both of which form the feeding unit 4 provided below the imaging units 71a to 71d.
The feeding unit 4 includes a paper cassette 40, a feeding roller 41, a friction pad 42, a recording-paper detector 43, a resisting sensor 60, a resisting roller 61, the recirculating path 82, and a path-switching member (not shown). The paper cassette 40 includes a loading plate that is pushed up by a bias member (not shown). The feeding roller 41 feeds the recording paper from the paper cassette 40. The friction pad 42 separates a sheet of the recording paper. The recording-paper detector 43 detects the presence of the recording paper in the paper cassette 40. The resisting sensor 60 determines timing for holding and releasing the recording paper fed from the paper cassette 40 or the recording paper introduced from a reversing path 44 to be described later. The resisting roller 61 supplies the recording paper to the secondary transfer unit 50 according to the timing. The recirculating path 82 and the path-switching member are used for the duplex printing.
According to the embodiment, the feeding roller 41, the resisting sensor 60, and the resisting roller 61 are integrated with the chassis 1A. On the contrary, the paper cassette 40, the friction pad 42, and the reversing path 44 can be detached from the chassis 1A without interference with the chassis 1A. The paper cassette 40 can be of a larger size that accepts large-sized recording paper as indicated by a double-dashed line in
The recirculating path 82 separates from the discharging path 81, extends downward on the right side of the discharging path in
The reversing path 44 is integrated into the paper cassette 40 by molding or the like, and it is formed between a cover 92 integrated with the paper cassette 40 and a conveying guide member 47 that faces the cover 92. The cover 92 includes a handle 93 by which the paper cassette 40 is detached from the chassis 1A.
At least one surface of the reversing path 44 can be exposed so that a user can easily clean the reversing path 44 or fix paper jam. More specifically, a surface of the reversing path 44 is formed by the cover 92 and, by opening the other surface formed by the conveying guide member 47, the surface formed by the cover 92 is exposed.
To expose the surface formed by the cover 92, the conveying guide member 47 can rotationally open or be detached from the cover 92.
To rotationally open the conveying guide member 47, the conveying guide member 47 is configured to rotate around a shaft 48. The shaft 48 is disposed on a side of the conveying guide member 47 closer to the resisting roller 61, i.e., close to the left end of the conveying guide member 47 in
To detach the conveying guide member 47, the conveying guide member 47 takes a form of a lid that can be detached from the cover 92. With this configuration, at least one of the surfaces of the reversing path 44 is exposed only by detaching the conveying guide member 47 because the conveying guide member 47 functions as a lid that is disposed at a predetermined distance from the cover 92. To remember attaching the conveying guide member 47, a sensor such as a push switch or the like can be provided at the latch that defines the distance from the cover 92, though not shown in the drawings. The sensor determines whether the conveying guide member 47 has been attached.
With the configuration described above, to print an image only on one side of the recording paper, the discharging unit 80 discharges the recording paper with the image fixed thereon via the discharging path 81 to the paper receiver 5.
On the other hand, to print images on both sides of the recording paper, the discharging unit 80 conveys the recording paper with the image fixed thereon through the discharging path 81, stops just before the first end of the recording paper passes the discharging unit 80, and reverses the rotation of the rollers to switch the recording paper back into the recirculating path 82.
The recording paper is conveyed through the recirculating path 82 and the reversing path 44 until the first end of the recording paper reaches the resisting roller 61, and the resisting roller 61 supplies the recording paper to the secondary transfer unit 50 again.
If the recording paper jams in the reversing path 44 or a contamination on the surface of the reversing path 44 is transferred to the recording paper, the trouble needs to be fixed.
According to the embodiment, if such a trouble occurs, the user can pull the paper cassette 40 out of the chassis 1A to expose at least one surface of the reversing path 44. With the surface of the cover 92 exposed by rotating or detaching the conveying guide member 47, the paper jam can be fixed and the contamination can be cleared.
When the paper cassette 40 is inserted into the chassis 1A, the conveying guide member 47 automatically rotates toward the cover 92, and the conveying guide member 47 is closed if it can rotate, or the conveying guide member 47 is attached to the cover 92 if it can be detached.
A modification of the embodiment is explained below.
As shown in
The manual-feeding path 90 extends from an insertion slot for the recording paper to the reversing path 44. The insertion slot is provided in the chassis 1A at a substantially same height as the position at which the feeding roller 41 feeds the recording paper from the paper cassette 40.
The manual-feeding path 90 is slightly aslope at such an angle that the recording paper is conveyed through the reversing path 44 to the resisting roller 61 without being folded. This prevents paper jam in the reversing path 44. The manual-feeding path 90 is further provided with side guide fences 91 that define the position of the recording paper in the width direction (see
As shown in
According to an aspect of the present invention, because the recirculating path 82 is disposed lateral to the image forming unit 100 and not superposed on the image forming unit 100, the height of the color printer 1 can be reduced.
According to another aspect of the present invention, because at least one surface of the reversing path 44 can be exposed, the user can fix the paper jam or clean the surface of the reversing path 44 easily.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, because the insertion slot of the manual-feeding path 90 is disposed at the substantially same height as the feeding unit 4, the manual-feeding path 90 can be provided within a vertically same range as the feeding unit 4.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, because the shaft 48 is disposed closer to the feeding unit 4, the conveying guide member 47 automatically rotates toward the cover 92 to be closed when the paper cassette 40 is inserted into the chassis 1A, and an extra step to close the conveying guide member 47 by hand is not required.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, because the reversing path 44 is integrated in the cover 92, it can be formed by molding with the cover 92, and thereby number of components and production cost can be reduced.
Although the invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2006-018167 | Jan 2006 | JP | national |
This application is a continuation of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§120/121 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/636,996, filed on Dec. 12, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,045,888 which claims the benefit of Japanese patent application no. 2006-018167, filed on Jan. 26, 2006. The disclosures of each of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11636996 | Dec 2006 | US |
Child | 13137829 | US |