Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a recording section configured to eject ink onto a sheet to form an image; a conveying portion facing the recording portion and configured to convey the sheet; and an exhaust fan unit attached to an apparatus main body, the exhaust fan unit being detachable from the apparatus main body, in which the exhaust fan unit includes: an outer cover having an exhaust port through which air is discharged to the outside; an exhaust fan configured to generate an air flow toward the outside; a filter; and a housing configured to integrally hold the outer cover, the exhaust fan, and the filter in such a manner that the exhaust fan is disposed between the outer cover and the filter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printing press, a copier or a printer which forms an image using an inkjet method. Background Art

[0002] As a structure for capturing pollutants in an image forming apparatus with a dust collection filter to discharge clean air, a technique of placing a filter in an exhaust fan is disclosed (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-291286). As described above, by placing a filter that captures pollutants (e.g., ink mist) in the machine in the exhaust fan, the exhaust fan is protected from the pollutants in the machine.

[0003] In the above-mentioned related art, the filter is a consumable item with limited ability to capture pollutants, which requires replacement of the filter.

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned related art, in the layered structure from the outer cover of the image forming apparatus to the filter, the outer cover, the exhaust fan and the filter are arranged in sequence. Therefore, when replacing the filter, it is necessary to remove the outer cover, the exhaust fan and the filter in sequence and attach them in the reverse order, which has the problem of time-consuming and labor-intensive replacement work. Summary of the invention

[0005] As a typical configuration of the present invention, the image forming device includes: a recording portion, which is configured to eject ink onto a sheet to form an image; a conveying portion, which faces the recording portion and is configured to convey the sheet; and an exhaust fan unit, which is attached to the device body and can be removed from the device body, wherein the exhaust fan unit includes: an outer cover, which has an exhaust port, and air is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port; an exhaust fan, which is configured to generate an airflow toward the outside; a filter; and a housing, which is configured to integrally hold the outer cover, the exhaust fan and the filter in a manner such that the exhaust fan is arranged between the outer cover and the filter.

[0006] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus;

[0008] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a printing module;

[0009] Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of an exterior member of a printing module;

[0010] Figure 4is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the exhaust fan unit;

[0011] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the exhaust fan unit;

[0012] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a filter holding configuration;

[0013] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an exhaust fan unit;

[0014] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the printing module when viewed obliquely from the front right side;

[0015] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an attachment portion of an exhaust fan unit;

[0016] Fig.10 is a perspective view of an attachment portion of the exhaust fan unit on the main body side; and

[0017] Fig.11 It is a perspective view of the exhaust fan unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that, unless otherwise specified, the size, material, relative position, etc. of the components of the image forming apparatus described below do not limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, the same reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same structure or function, and their redundant descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0019] <Image Forming Apparatus>

[0020] Will refer to Figure 1 A schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus is described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the image forming apparatus. Figure 1 The image forming apparatus shown is an example of an inkjet image forming apparatus that forms an image using an inkjet method.

[0021] The image forming apparatus processes the paper (recording medium) fed from the sheet feeding module 1000 in sequence through the printing module 2000, the drying module 3000, the fixing module 4000, the cooling module 5000, the reversing module 6000 and the discharged sheet stacking module 7000. An image is formed on the paper fed from the sheet feeding module 1000 by the printing module 2000. The drying module 3000 is a unit that reduces the amount of liquid contained in the ink to improve the fixability between the paper and the ink, and the fixing module 4000 heats the sheet to soften the applied ink. The cooling module 5000 cools the fixed paper to solidify the softened ink and suppresses the change in the temperature of the paper downstream of the cooling module. The reversing module 6000 adjusts the orientation of the paper to the desired orientation. The discharged sheet stacking module 7000 aligns and stacks the printed paper.

[0022] During duplex printing, the paper is U-turned by the cooling module 5000 and conveyed toward the printing module, and the front and back sides and the front and back directions of the paper are changed by the reversing device 4200 provided in the fixing module 4000. After that, the paper is conveyed back to the printing module 2000 through the duplex conveying path of the drying module 3000 and the sheet feeding module 1000 to perform printing on the back side.

[0023] <Printing Module>

[0024] Will refer to Figure 2 The structure of the printing module 2000 will be described. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the printing module 2000 .

[0025] The printing module 2000 is an image forming section that performs a recording process on a sheet (recording medium) as a sheet to be conveyed from above using the recording head 10 to form an image on the sheet. The printing module 2000 includes a pre-image formation registration correction section 2400, a printing belt unit 2200 as a conveying section, a recording section 2300, and a head maintenance mechanism section 2600. The sheet is conveyed by the printing belt unit 2200 in an adsorption state, thereby ensuring a gap with the recording head.

[0026] The paper conveyed from the sheet feeding module 1000 is conveyed to the printing belt unit 2200 after the inclination and position of the paper are corrected by the pre-image formation registration correction unit 2400. The recording unit 2300 is arranged at a position facing the printing belt unit 2200 relative to the conveying path. The recording unit 2300 performs a recording process (printing) on ​​the paper as the conveyed sheet from above using the recording head 10 to form an image on the paper. In order to convey the paper in the recording unit 2300, the printing belt unit 2200 that conveys the paper in an adsorption and suction manner is arranged so that the paper conveying behavior is stable just below the recording head 10. The printing belt unit 2200 has a paper conveying surface 26 as a sheet conveying surface. The paper conveyed on the paper conveying surface 26 is conveyed in a state where a gap with the recording head 10 is ensured. Regarding the recording head 10, as described above, a plurality of recording heads are arranged along the paper conveying direction, and ink is ejected onto the conveyed paper at an appropriate ejection timing to form an image. A plurality of recording heads 10 are arranged along the conveying direction. In this example, in addition to the four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk), a total of five line type recording heads corresponding to the reaction liquids are provided.

[0027] A tandem scanner unit 11 is installed downstream of the recording head 10, and the scanner unit 11 reads the paper with an image on the paper conveying surface 26 of the printing belt to check the image immediately after the ink is applied. When an image defect such as ink ejection failure when the ink ejection hole is clogged is detected, the device is immediately stopped to minimize the generation of defective products. The tandem scanner unit 11 is not only a unit for detecting the ink ejection state but also a unit for reading the image formed on the paper by the recording section during printing, detecting deviation of the image or density, and correcting the printing.

[0028] The head maintenance mechanism section 2600 is arranged upstream of the recording section 2300. The head maintenance mechanism section 2600 has a two-layer structure including a cover plate (not shown) located in the upper section and a cleaning plate (not shown) located in the lower section. The cover plate at the upper section includes a cover mechanism that covers the inkjet surface of the recording head 10. The cleaning plate at the lower section cleans the inkjet surface of the recording head 10 by wiping or vacuuming.

[0029] When the operation of the main body is stopped, the cover disk is directly below the recording portion 2300, and the recording head 10 is covered by landing on a cover portion (not shown) in the cover disk to prevent the ink ejection surface of the recording head 10 from drying. According to a print start command from a controller (not shown), first the recording head 10 moves upward to an upper retreat position spaced apart from the cover disk, then the cover disk retreats to a right retreat position, and then the recording head 10 moves downward to the printing position for a printing operation. According to a print end command, when the recording head 10 moves upward to the upper retreat position, and then the cover disk moves from the retreat position to a position directly below the recording portion 2300, the recording head 10 is covered by moving downward and landing on the cover disk, and then reaches a stop state.

[0030] Even during printing, when the predetermined continuous operation time is reached, a cleaning command is issued from a controller (not shown). According to the cleaning command, after the recording head 10 moves upward to the upper retreat position, the cleaning disk located at the lower section of the head maintenance mechanism portion 2600 moves to the position directly below the recording portion 2300. After that, the recording head 10 moves downward and lands on the cleaning disk, and performs a cleaning operation such as wiping or vacuum processing. After the cleaning of the head is completed, the recording head 10 moves upward to the upper retreat position, the cleaning disk moves from the position directly below the recording portion 2300 to the right retreat position, and the recording head 10 moves downward to the printing position to restart printing. In the case where printing is not restarted after the head cleaning, after the cleaning of the head is completed, the recording head 10 moves upward to the upper retreat position, the cleaning disk moves from the position directly below the recording portion 2300 to the retreat position, and the cover disk moves from the retreat position to the position directly below the recording portion 2300. Then, the recording head 10 is covered by moving downward and landing on the cover disk, and then reaches a stop state. Cleaning of the head during the printing operation may be performed after the paper circulating in the machine has completely undergone the printing process and the supply of new paper has been stopped, or may be performed by temporarily stopping the printing operation even in a state where paper is circulating.

[0031] Note that the number of colors and the number of recording heads in the image forming apparatus are not limited to five. In addition, as the ink jet method, a method using a heating element, a method using a piezoelectric element, a method using an electrostatic element, a method using a MEMS element, or the like can be adopted.

[0032] <Airflow in the Main Body of the Printing Module>

[0033] Next, we will refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The airflow in the main body of the printing module 2000 in this embodiment (the airflow from the paper conveying surface to the top surface of the main body) will be described. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the printing module 2000 . Figure 2The arrows in represent the airflow in the main body of the printing module 2000 . Figure 3 1 is a perspective view illustrating a part of the exterior member of the printing module 2000 .

[0034] In an inkjet image forming apparatus, an air flow is generally formed in the main body for the following two purposes.

[0035] The first purpose is a countermeasure against condensation at the inkjet portion of the recording head 10. The ink circulating inside the printing module 2000 is controlled at about 28°C, and the inkjet portion is also guided to the ink temperature. In the printing module 2000, moisture generated from paper or air flowing in when the paper is conveyed may come into contact with the inkjet portion, causing condensation on the head surface, which hinders inkjet. For this reason, a condensation layer formed near the recording head 10 is formed. Figure 2 The arrows in the figure indicate airflow to keep the temperature around the inkjet unit below 30° C. to prevent condensation on the inkjet unit.

[0036] The second purpose is to remove the ink mist. In the recording section 2300 that jets ink to form an image, when the main drop of ink is jetted, satellite drops smaller than the main drop may be generated along with the main drop or smaller spray-like ink mist may be generated, and some satellite drops and smaller spray-like mist may float around the recording section 2300. Hereinafter, satellite drops and smaller spray-like drops will be collectively referred to as ink mist. If the ink mist adheres to the surface formed by the jet holes of the recording head 10, jet failure may occur and the ink landing accuracy may be reduced. In addition, the ink mist may adhere to other components of the image forming device, causing the durability of the image forming device to deteriorate. For this reason, an air flow is formed near the recording head 10 so that the ink mist does not stay in the inkjet section.

[0037] In this embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, an exhaust port 111a for exhausting air to the outside is provided in the outer cover 111 of the top surface T of the printing module 2000 to form an air flow directed upward from the recording unit 2300. Figure 3As shown, an air inlet 200a for introducing air from the outside is provided in the outer casing 200 near the paper conveying surface 26 of the printing module 2000 to form an air flow for introducing air outside the image forming apparatus. The outer casing 200 includes a frame and a transparent cover surrounded by the frame. The outer casing 200 is opened and closed with its upper end as a pivot axis. The air inlet 200a is provided at the lower end of the outer casing 200. A portion of the outer casing 200 is located below the paper conveying surface 26 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the air inlet 200a is located below the paper conveying surface 26. In the printing module 2000, an air inlet 210a is further provided separately from the air inlet 200a. The air inlet 210a is also provided in the outer casing 210 of the printing module 2000. The outer casing 210 is located below the paper conveying surface 26 as a whole in the vertical direction. By forming an airflow from the air inlets 200a and 210a toward the exhaust port 111a inside the printing module 2000 ( Figure 2 ), the air around the ink ejection portion is replaced with external air to cool the ink ejection portion and prevent contamination caused by ink mist adhering to the periphery of the ink ejection portion.

[0038] However, due to the above Figure 2 The air flow shown contains ink mist. If the air is discharged to the outside of the image forming device as it is, the environment in which the image forming device is installed will be polluted by the ink mist. Therefore, in this embodiment, the filter 130 (see Figure 4 ) is disposed in the air flow passage, specifically, in front of a fan motor 122 serving as an exhaust fan, to capture ink mist and prevent the ink mist from leaking to the outside of the image forming apparatus.

[0039] Here, the filter 130 is a consumable item with limited ability to capture pollutants. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the filter 130. However, in the layered structure from the outer cover to the filter 130 of the image forming apparatus, since the outer cover, the fan motor 122 and the filter 130 are arranged in sequence, the replacement operation is time-consuming and laborious.

[0040] At this time, in the printing module 2000 of this embodiment, the exhaust fan unit 100 is attachably or detachably attached to the device body of the printing module 2000, and in the exhaust fan unit 100, the outer cover 111 having the exhaust port 111a, the fan motor 122 and the filter 130 are formed integrally.

[0041] In particular, in Figure 1 In the image forming apparatus of the illustrated configuration, the exhaust fan unit 100 has a large longitudinal dimension of about 500 mm. Therefore, it is more effective to handle attachment / detachment of the exterior cover 111, the fan motor 122, and the filter 130 to / from the main body in an integrated state.

[0042] In this embodiment, if Figure 2 and Figure 8 , the exhaust fan unit 100 is illustrated as being arranged on the top surface T of the apparatus body of the printing module 2000. However, the configuration of the exhaust fan unit 100 is not limited thereto, and the exhaust fan unit 100 only needs to be arranged above the paper conveying surface 26 of the printing belt unit 2200.

[0043] <Structure of exhaust fan unit>

[0044] Next, we will refer to Figure 4 , FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C , Figure 6 and Figure 7 The structure of the exhaust fan unit 100 will be described. Figure 4 2 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the exhaust fan unit 100 . Figure 4 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior cover assembly 110 , the fan assembly 120 , the filter 130 , and the fan housing assembly 140 constituting the exhaust fan unit 100 . Figure 5A 1 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the exterior cover assembly 110 in the exhaust fan unit. Figure 5B 1 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the fan assembly 120 in the exhaust fan unit. Figure 5C 1 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the fan housing assembly 140 in the exhaust fan unit. Figure 6 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration in which a filter is held in the exhaust fan unit 100 . Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the exhaust fan unit 100 .

[0045] Although the exhaust fan unit 100 described herein has a configuration in which two fan motors are connected to each other, even if the number of fan motors is changed, basic configuration requirements are similar and applicable regardless of the number of fan motors.

[0046] In the present embodiment, the exhaust fan unit 100 uses three wire members, but the number of wire members is not limited thereto, and the basic configuration requirements are similar regardless of the number of wire members.

[0047] like Figure 4 as well as FIG. 5A to FIG. 5CAs shown, the exhaust fan unit 100 includes an exterior cover assembly 110, a fan assembly 120, a filter 130 and a fan housing assembly 140. In the exterior cover assembly 110, a wire member 112 is assembled to the exterior cover 111. In the fan assembly 120, a fan motor 122 and a fan support plate 121 are fixed to each other and integrated by screws. The fan motor 122 is an exhaust fan that generates an airflow toward the outside. The fan housing assembly 140 includes a unit housing 141 and a filter support plate 142. As a method of assembling them, the fan assembly 120 is assembled to the fan housing assembly 140 from one side (the exterior cover side), and the filter 130 is attached to the fan housing assembly 140 by compressing the filter 130 from the other side (the opposite side of the exterior cover).

[0048] By attaching the filter 130 to the fan housing assembly 140, the filter 130 is arranged close to the inside of the fan motor 122. The filter 130 adsorbs and captures pollutants inside the device.

[0049] In the exhaust fan unit 100, the fan housing assembly 140 and the fan assembly 120 are fixed together to the exterior cover assembly 110 by screws 151 from the inner surface side of the exterior cover assembly 110 opposite to the exterior surface. As a result, the screws used in the various subassemblies of the exhaust fan unit 100 are not visible from the exterior. This is to prevent access to any parts other than the fixing screws 152 that fix the exhaust fan unit 100 to the printing module 2000 when the exhaust fan unit 100 assembled to the printing module 2000 is disassembled. As a result, the time required for maintenance work can be reduced.

[0050] Figure 5AThe detailed structure of the outer cover assembly 110 is illustrated. The outer cover assembly 110 includes an outer cover 111 painted with an exterior color and a wire member 112 fixed to each other with screws, and the outer cover 111 has a heat dissipation hole forming an exhaust port 111a. The heat dissipation hole shape of the exhaust port 111a also includes a grid shape. Regarding an image forming device with a main body height close to 2m, since the user cannot see the top surface of the device, it is difficult to recognize that there is an exhaust port, and there is a problem of placing an object on the top surface by mistake and possibly blocking the exhaust port 111a. In order to prevent the exhaust port 111a from being blocked even if an object is placed on the top surface by mistake, a plurality of (here, three) wire members 112 are arranged at intervals of approximately 30mm to 80mm to cover the opening area of ​​the exhaust port 111a. The wire member 112 is arranged on the exterior surface side of the outer cover 111 and is fixed to the outer cover 111 with screws 113 from the inner surface side of the outer cover 111. The wire member has a portion extending along the exterior surface of the exterior cover 111 and portions extending from both ends of the portion toward the exterior surface. That is, the wire member 112 is U-shaped. The distance between the wire member 112 and the exterior cover 111 is set to 25 mm or more to allow exhaust from the top surface through the exhaust port 111a. When the exhaust fan unit 100 is separated from the printing module 2000, the wire member 112 acts as a handle. Therefore, the distance between the exterior surface of the exterior cover 111 and the portion of the wire member 112 extending along the exterior surface of the exterior cover 111 is set to a distance that allows human hands to enter.

[0051] Figure 5B The detailed structure of the fan assembly 120 is illustrated. The fan assembly 120 is arranged close to the inner side of the exterior cover 111, and generates air from the inside of the device toward the outside of the device. The fan assembly 120 is formed by fixing the fan motor 122, the fan support plate 121 and the panel mounting support plate 123 with screws 124 and 125. The fan motor 122 is arranged so that the wiring harness (not shown) from the fan motor 122 is gathered in the longitudinal center of the fan assembly 120 and connected together to the panel mounting support plate 123. The screw 124 that fixes the fan motor 122 to the fan support plate 121 passes through the fan motor 122 and is fixed to the fan support plate 121. From the viewpoint of assembly work, the screw 125 that fixes the panel mounting support plate 123 to the fan support plate 121 is driven from the same direction as the screw 124 of the fan motor 122, and the panel mounting support plate 123 is fixed to the fan support plate 121.

[0052] Figure 5C The fan housing assembly 140 is shown in detail. The fan housing assembly 140 is formed by fixing the unit housing 141 and the filter support plate 142 with screws 143. The unit housing 141 has a first air passage hole X (see FIG. 144 ) that forms an air passage for the fan motor 122. Figure 6The filter support plate 142 has a second air passage hole Y (see FIG. 1 ) that forms an air passage for the fan motor 122. Figure 6 ). The unit housing 141 and the filter support plate 142 hold the filter 130 by sandwiching both sides of the filter 130 between the unit housing 141 and the filter support plate 142. In other words, the unit housing 141 functions as a first holding portion that holds one side of the filter 130. The filter support plate 142 is disposed closer to the exhaust fan (fan assembly 120) than the unit housing 141, and functions as a second holding portion that holds the other side of the filter opposite to the one side.

[0053] When the filter 130 is attached between the unit housing 141 and the filter support plate 142, the air passage holes formed in the unit housing 141 and the filter support plate 142 need to prevent the filter 130 from falling from the fan housing assembly 140. In addition, the filter 130 is required not to contact the fan motor 122 as a rotating object.

[0054] Figure 6 The fan housing assembly 140 is illustrated as viewed from the direction in which the filter 130 is attached. In the figure, X represents an air passage hole provided in the unit housing 141, and Y represents an air passage hole provided in the filter support plate 142. Considering the rigidity of the filter 130 when compressed, the air passage hole X of the unit housing 141 that holds the lower side of the filter 130 in the direction of gravity is determined as follows: when the exhaust fan unit 100 is attached to the printing module 2000, the unit housing 141 covers the four side ends of the filter 130 (the shaded portion in the figure) to prevent the filter 130 from falling in the direction of gravity, and the unit housing 141 covers the filter 130 with an area that does not hinder the replaceability of the filter. The air passage hole Y of the filter support plate 142 has a minimum area that does not damage the air passage of the fan motor 122. The opening area of ​​the air passage hole X of the unit housing 141 and the opening area of ​​the air passage hole Y of the filter support plate 142 have a relationship represented by the following formula 1. That is, the opening area of ​​the air passage hole X is equal to or greater than the opening area of ​​the air passage hole Y.

[0055] [Formula 1]

[0056] Unit housing 141 ≥ filter support plate 142

[0057] X ≥ Y

[0058] Figure 7The figure shows a cross section of the exhaust fan unit 100. When the filter 130 is attached to the fan housing assembly 140, the filter 130 is inserted from the inner surface side opposite to the appearance surface of the exterior cover 111 in the Z direction. The filter 130 is an elastic body, and the filter 130 is compressed to be attached or detached between the unit housing 141 and the filter support plate 142 from the first air passage hole X. That is, for attachment, the filter 130 is pressed toward the fan motor from the first air passage hole X while being compressed.

[0059] In order to prevent the filter 130 from contacting the fan motor 122, a predetermined gap (here, 1 mm or more) may be formed between the filter support plate 142 and the fan motor 122. In addition, in the case where a plurality of fan motors 122 are used in the fan assembly 120, if the filter support plate 142 is continuous between the plurality of fan motors 122 within a range that does not block the air passage of the fan motor 122, the filter support plate 142 can more reliably prevent the filter 130 from contacting the fan motor 122. In other words, if Figure 6 As shown, the filter support plate 142 has a second air passage hole Y for each fan motor 122 within a range that does not block the air passage of the fan motor 122. As a result, the filter support plate 142 between the air passage holes Y can more reliably prevent contact between the filter 130 and the fan motor 122.

[0060] <Attachment and Removal of Exhaust Fan Unit>

[0061] Will refer to Figure 8 , Fig. 9 , Fig.10 and Fig.11 Attachment and detachment of the exhaust fan unit 100 to and from the printing module 2000 are described. Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional view of the printing module 2000 when viewed obliquely from the front right side. Fig. 9 1 is a perspective view illustrating a main portion of an MO gasket attached to the exhaust fan unit 100 . Fig.10 2 is a perspective view of an attachment portion of the exhaust fan unit 100 located on the side where the printing module 2000 is located. Fig.11 It is a perspective view of the exhaust fan unit 100 .

[0062] In the present embodiment, the exhaust fan unit 100 is exemplified as being arranged on the top surface T of the printing module 2000. The ink mist originates from the ink ejection portion of the recording head 10 arranged above the paper conveying surface 26. Therefore, the configuration of the exhaust fan unit 100 including the exhaust port is not limited to the top surface of the printing module 2000, and may be, for example, the side surface or the back surface of the printing module 2000, as long as the exhaust fan unit 100 is located above the paper conveying surface 26 (printing belt unit 2200) so as to prevent the mist from adhering to the paper.

[0063] like Figure 8 As shown, four exhaust fan units 100 each integrating an exterior cover 111, a fan motor 122, and a filter 130 are attached to the top surface T of the printing module 2000 and are configured to Figure 2 Each exhaust fan unit 100 is fixed by two fixing screws 152 ( Figure 8 The exhaust fan unit 100 is fixed to the printing module 2000 (indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 ). By loosening the two fixing screws 152, the exhaust fan unit 100 can be removed from the printing module 2000. At this time, the exhaust fan unit 100 can be pulled out upward from the top surface T of the printing module 2000 while keeping the U-shaped wire member 112 attached to the exterior cover 111.

[0064] When the exhaust fan unit 100 is pulled out from the top surface T of the printing module 2000, Fig.10 As shown, the mounting hole A of the printing module 2000 that connects from the outside of the device to the inside of the device becomes open. The mounting hole A is an opening corresponding to the area of ​​the exterior surface of the outer cover 111 of the exhaust fan unit 100. Therefore, depending on the angle of the exhaust fan unit 100 relative to the mounting hole A, the exhaust fan unit 100 may fall into the device from the mounting hole A. To this end, a landing surface B on which the exhaust fan unit 100 lands is provided in the mounting hole A. The landing surface B has a shape that is set to cover the exhaust fan unit 100 in a projection manner over as large an area as possible and does not block the air passage of the exhaust fan unit 100. As a result, no matter what the angle at which the exhaust fan unit 100 enters the device from the mounting hole A, the exhaust fan unit 100 is always stuck somewhere on the landing surface B and is prevented from falling into the device from the mounting hole A.

[0065] Furthermore, if an object falls through the mounting hole A, it is difficult to find the fallen object. Such an object is, for example, a fixing screw 152 that fixes the exhaust fan unit 100 to the printing module 2000. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a washer 150 having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the fixing screw 152 and having an engaging portion (not shown) that engages with the fixing screw 152 is provided. Fig. 9 As shown, the fixing screw 152 is fixed to the exhaust fan unit 100 by the washer 150. Specifically, the washer 150 plays a role in preventing the fixing screw 152 from falling off from the exhaust fan unit 100 when the engaging portion is engaged with the groove of the fixing screw 152. As a result, even when the fixing screw 152 is rotated, the fixing screw 152 does not fall off from the exhaust fan unit 100, so that the falling of the screw and the like can be prevented.

[0066] Will refer to Fig.11The wiring harness 160 connected to the exhaust fan unit 100 is described. The exhaust fan unit 100 is pulled out from the top surface T of the printing module 2000. At this time, the wiring harness 160 connected to the panel mounting support plate 123 provided on the side of the exhaust fan unit 100 is pulled out together with the exhaust fan unit 100. The exhaust fan unit 100 pulled out from the printing module 2000 is temporarily placed on the top surface T of the printing module 2000, for example, on which a sheet is laid. Then, the connector of the wiring harness 160 is removed from the panel mounting support plate 123 of the exhaust fan unit 100 to completely separate the exhaust fan unit 100 from the printing module 2000. Thereafter, the exhaust fan unit 100 is carried to a workbench to replace the filter 130. The position range for temporarily placing the exhaust fan unit 100 on the top surface T is limited by the length of the wiring harness 160. The length of the wiring harness 160 is limited by the multiplexing tape 161. The wiring harness 160 is a free wiring harness, which is Fig.11 The length F (here, 120 [mm]) from the multiplexing tape 161 to the connector starting from the multiplexing tape 161 fixed to the printing module 2000 is included. The lower limit of the length F of the harness 160 is the length that allows the exhaust fan unit 100 to be placed on the top surface T when the harness 160 is connected. The upper limit of the length F of the harness 160 is the length that prevents the harness 160 from being caught by something on the unit moving line or the length that prevents the harness 160 from touching the edge of the metal plate and being broken or the coating being torn even when the exhaust fan unit 100 is installed in the mounting hole A of the top surface T.

[0067] The replacement operation of the filter 130 can be performed in a state where the exhaust fan unit 100 is temporarily placed on the top surface T. In addition, the unit electrically connecting the printing module 2000 and the exhaust fan unit 100 is not limited to the wiring harness 160, and the printing module 2000 and the exhaust fan unit 100 can be automatically connected to each other by attaching and detaching the unit using a drawer, for example.

[0068] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the exhaust fan unit 100 in which the exterior cover 111, the fan motor 122, and the filter 130 are integrally formed is attachably and detachably attached to the printing module 2000. As a result, the filter 130 can be easily replaced.

[0069] When the fixing screw 152 fixed to the exhaust fan unit 100 by the washer 150 is loosened, the exhaust fan unit 100 can be easily removed from the printing module 2000. In addition, the filter 130 as an elastic body can be attached to the exhaust fan unit 100 by compressing the filter 130, or can be easily replaced by removing the filter 130 from the exhaust fan unit 100.

[0070] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

[0071] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-170077 filed on September 29, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. An image forming device, comprising: a recording section configured to eject ink onto a sheet to form an image; a conveying portion facing the recording portion and configured to convey the sheet; and an exhaust fan unit attached to the device body, the exhaust fan unit being detachable from the device body, Wherein, the exhaust fan unit comprises: an exterior cover having an exhaust port through which air is exhausted to the outside; an exhaust fan configured to generate an air flow toward the outside; Filters; and A housing is configured to integrally hold the exterior cover, the exhaust fan, and the filter in such a manner that the exhaust fan is disposed between the exterior cover and the filter.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The exhaust fan unit includes a wire member arranged outside the exterior cover to cover the exhaust port of the exterior cover, and The wire member includes a first portion extending in a direction along an exterior surface of the exterior cover, a second portion extending from a first end of the first portion toward the exterior surface, and a third portion extending from the second end of the first portion toward the exterior surface.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The exhaust fan unit is disposed above a sheet conveying surface of the conveying portion in a vertical direction.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The exhaust fan unit is arranged on the top surface of the device body.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an exterior member having an air inlet through which air is introduced from the outside; The air inlet of the exterior member is arranged vertically below a sheet conveying surface of the conveying portion.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The housing comprises: a first holding portion having a first air passage hole and configured to hold the filter using a first face side of the filter; and a second holding portion having a second air passage hole, disposed between the exhaust fan and the first holding portion, and configured to hold the filter using a second face side of the filter, the second face side being opposite to the first face side, The first holding portion and the second holding portion hold the filter with both surfaces of the filter sandwiched therebetween, and An opening area of ​​the first air passage hole is equal to or larger than an opening area of ​​the second air passage hole.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: The exhaust fan is arranged between the exterior cover and the second holding portion of the housing with a gap therebetween.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The filter includes an elastic body, and the filter is held in the housing in a compressed state.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The housing and the exhaust fan are integrally fixed to the exterior cover by screws inserted from the inner side of the exterior cover.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The exhaust fan unit includes a fixing screw fixing the exhaust fan unit to the image forming apparatus and a washer having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the fixing screw and having an engaging portion engaged with the fixing screw, and The washer functions to prevent the fixing screw from falling out of the exhaust fan unit when the engaging portion is engaged with the groove of the fixing screw.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The image forming apparatus has a mounting hole communicating from the outside of the apparatus to the inside of the apparatus and a landing surface provided in the mounting hole for the exhaust fan unit to land thereon, The mounting hole is an opening corresponding to the area of ​​the exterior surface of the exterior cover of the exhaust fan unit, and The landing surface has a shape that covers the exhaust fan unit and does not block an air passage of the exhaust fan unit.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The exhaust port of the exterior cover has a heat dissipation hole shape.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: A distance between an exterior surface of the exterior cover and the first portion of the wire member is 25 mm or more.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: An operator's hand is allowed to be placed between the exterior surface of the exterior cover and the first portion of the wire member.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The image forming device comprises: A first module including the recording unit and the transmitting unit; and a second module connected to the first module in a conveying direction in which the sheet is conveyed by the conveying section, and The exhaust fan unit is attached to the first module.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The exhaust fan unit sucks ink mist from the recording section.

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