Image forming device

Abstract

To efficiently cool multiple image processing units using an air-cooling mechanism that occupies a small space. [Solution] A structure (6) includes a plurality of joined pipes (60). A plurality of image processing units (5, 44) are supported by the structure (6) and perform image formation processing. A first processing unit (44) is arranged in a first region (A1) on one side of a target pipe (60x), which is one of the plurality of pipes (60). A second processing unit (5) is arranged in a second region (A2) on the other side of the target pipe (60x). A plurality of ventilation holes (64) are formed in a first side surface (62a) of the target pipe (60x) facing the first region (A1) and a second side surface (62b) facing the second region (A2). A fan (7) flows air from the first region (A1) to the second region (A2) through the plurality of ventilation holes (64) of the target pipe (60x).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus equipped with a cooling fan. [Background technology]

[0002] The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image processing units arranged in a main body and performing image forming processes, such as a toner transport unit, an image forming unit, a transfer unit, and a fixing unit.

[0003] The image forming apparatus also includes a fan that circulates air within the main body to cool the image processing units.

[0004] For example, it is known that the image forming apparatus includes a pipe-shaped support pillar that supports a shelf board that separates the image reading device and the printer, and an exhaust fan located at the upper end of the support pillar (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The exhaust fan causes air to flow from the inside of the printer to the outside of the support pillar through an exhaust port formed in the printer and the inside of the support pillar. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-236000 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the image forming apparatus, it is desirable to be able to efficiently cool the plurality of image processing units using an air-cooling mechanism that occupies a small space.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of efficiently cooling a plurality of image processing units using an air-cooling mechanism that occupies a small space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a structure, a plurality of image processing units, and a fan. The structure includes a plurality of joined pipes. The plurality of image processing units are supported by the structure and perform image formation processing. The fan circulates air in an area where the plurality of image processing units are arranged. The plurality of image processing units include a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The first processing unit is arranged in a first area on one side of a target pipe that is one of the plurality of pipes. The second processing unit is arranged in a second area on the other side of the target pipe. A plurality of ventilation holes are formed in a first side surface of the target pipe facing the first area and a second side surface of the target pipe facing the second area. The fan circulates air from the first area to the second area via the plurality of ventilation holes in the target pipe. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can efficiently cool a plurality of image processing units using an air-cooling mechanism that occupies a small space. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a structure of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a square pipe of the structure in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of a part of the transfer unit and its surrounding area in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view of a transfer unit and a toner transport unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the transfer unit and its surrounding area in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiment is an example of the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0012] [Configuration of image forming apparatus 10] The image forming apparatus 10 executes an image forming process for forming an image on a sheet 9. In the example shown in FIG.

[0013] The main body 1 includes a sheet supply unit 30, a sheet transport device 3, a printing device 4, one or more toner containers 50, a toner transport unit 5, and a structure 6. The image reading unit 2 is connected to an upper part of the structure 6. The image reading unit 2 is a device that reads an image of a document.

[0014] The sheet supply unit 30 stores a plurality of sheets 9 and sends the stored sheets 9 one by one to the sheet transport path 300. The sheet transport device 3 includes a plurality of transport roller pairs 31 that transport the sheets 9 along the sheet transport path 300.

[0015] The printing device 4 forms an image on a sheet 9 supplied from a sheet supply unit 30 through a sheet conveying device 3. The sheet 9 is a sheet-like image-forming medium such as paper or a resin sheet.

[0016] 1, the printing device 4 forms an image on a sheet 9 by electrophotography. The electrophotographic printing device 4 includes an optical scanning unit 40, one or more image forming units 4x, a transfer unit 44, and a fixing unit 45.

[0017] 1, the printing device 4 is a tandem color printing device. Therefore, the printing device 4 has four image forming units 4x corresponding to the four colors of toner: yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Furthermore, the image forming device 10 has four toner containers 50 corresponding to the four image forming units 4x.

[0018] In each image forming unit 4x, a drum-shaped photoconductor 41 rotates, and a charging device 42 charges the outer circumferential surface of the photoconductor 41. Furthermore, an optical scanning unit 40 writes an electrostatic latent image onto the outer circumferential surface of the photoconductor 41. A developing device 43 executes a developing process to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image.

[0019] The transfer unit 44 transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 41 by the development process onto the sheet 9. The photoreceptor 41 is an example of an image carrier.

[0020] The transfer unit 44 includes an endless belt-like intermediate transfer body 440, four primary transfer units 441 corresponding to the four image forming units 4x, and a secondary transfer unit 442. The intermediate transfer body 440 is rotatably supported by a plurality of support rollers 443.

[0021] The intermediate transfer body 440 rotates while contacting the four photosensitive bodies 41, and the four primary transfer units 441 transfer the toner images formed on the surfaces of the photosensitive bodies 41 by the development process onto the intermediate transfer body 440. The secondary transfer unit 442 transfers the toner images transferred onto the intermediate transfer body 440 onto the sheet 9 being transported along the sheet transport path 300.

[0022] The fixing unit 45 applies heat and pressure to the toner image on the sheet 9, thereby fixing the toner image to the sheet 9. The sheet conveying device 3 discharges the sheet 9 on which the image has been formed from the sheet conveying path 300.

[0023] The four toner containers 50 each contain a different color toner. The toner transport unit 5 drives each of the toner containers 50 to send out toner from each of the toner containers 50.

[0024] Furthermore, the toner transport unit 5 transports the toner sent out from each toner container 50 to the developing device 43 of each image forming unit 4x. Each toner container 50 is an example of a toner storage unit that stores toner.

[0025] The sheet supply unit 30 , the sheet transport device 3 , the optical scanning unit 40 , the four image forming units 4 x , the transfer unit 44 , the fixing unit 45 and the toner transport unit 5 are attached to and supported by a structure 6 .

[0026] The sheet supply unit 30, the optical scanning unit 40, the four image forming units 4x, the transfer unit 44, the fixing unit 45, and the toner transport unit 5 are an example of a plurality of image processing units that perform the image forming process.

[0027] The structure 6 includes a plurality of joined square pipes 60 (see FIG. 2). In the structure 6, a plurality of metal square pipes 60 are joined by welding. Such a structure 6 has high strength.

[0028] In this embodiment, the structure 6 also includes a plurality of additional members 6x joined to some of the plurality of square pipes 60 (see FIG. 2). For example, the additional members 6x are sheet metal members manufactured by bending a metal plate and / or drilling a hole.

[0029] Each of the square pipes 60 has four side surfaces 62 and four corners 63 (see FIG. 3). The four side surfaces 62 and the four corners 63 are formed to extend in the longitudinal direction of each of the square pipes 60.

[0030] The four corners 63 include three first corners 63a and one second corner 63b. The three first corners 63a are three bent portions formed by bending a single metal plate. The second corner 63b includes two edge portions 61 of the metal plate and a weld 600 joining the two edge portions 61.

[0031] The two edge portions 61 and the welded portion 600 are formed to extend in the longitudinal direction of each square pipe 60 .

[0032] The image forming apparatus 10 further includes one or more fans 7 (see FIG. 1). The fans 7 circulate air in an area where the plurality of image processing units supported by the structure 6 are arranged. The fans 7 form part of an air-cooling mechanism that cools the plurality of image processing units.

[0033] Incidentally, it is desirable that the image forming apparatus 10 be able to efficiently cool the plurality of image processing units using an air-cooling mechanism that occupies a small space.

[0034] The image forming apparatus 10 is provided with a configuration for efficiently cooling the plurality of image processing units using an air-cooling mechanism that occupies a small space.

[0035] In this embodiment, the transfer unit 44 and the toner transport unit 5, each of which is one of the image processing units, are arranged side by side via a target pipe 60x (see FIGS. 1, 5, and 6). The target pipe 60x is one of the multiple square pipes 60.

[0036] In the following description, the area where the transfer unit 44 is arranged will be referred to as the first area A1, and the area where the toner transport unit 5 is arranged will be referred to as the second area A2 (see FIGS. 2, 5, and 6). The transfer unit 44 is arranged in the first area A1 on one side of the target pipe 60x, and the toner transport unit 5 is arranged in the second area A2 on the other side of the target pipe 60x.

[0037] In the following description, the longitudinal direction of the target pipe 60x is referred to as a first direction D1, and the direction in which the transfer unit 44 and the toner transport unit 5 are aligned is referred to as a second direction D2 (see FIGS. 2, 4 to 6). The second direction D2 is a direction that intersects with the first direction D1.

[0038] The transfer unit 44 is an example of a first processing unit arranged on one side of the target pipe 60x, and the toner conveying unit 5 is an example of a second processing unit arranged on the other side of the target pipe 60x.

[0039] In this embodiment, a target additional member 6xx, which is one of the multiple additional members 6x, is connected to a target pipe 60x (see FIGS. 2 and 6).

[0040] The plate-shaped target addition member 6xx supports some of the multiple image processing units, such as the transfer unit 44. The target addition member 6xx also serves as a plate that separates the first area A1 and the second area A2.

[0041] A plurality of ventilation holes 64 are formed in a first side surface 62a of the target pipe 60x facing the first region A1 and a second side surface 62b facing the second region A2 (see FIGS. 3, 5, and 6). The fan 7 causes air to flow from the first region A1 through the plurality of ventilation holes 64 of the target pipe 60x to the second region A2.

[0042] For example, the fan 7 blows air into the first area A1 (see FIGS. 4 to 6). As a result, the fan 7 causes air to flow from the first area A1 to the second area A2 via the multiple ventilation holes 64 of the target pipe 60x. The fan 7 may also suck air from the second area A2.

[0043] In this embodiment, the fan 7 blows air toward the first area A1 along the first direction D1 (see FIGS. 4 to 6). The image forming apparatus 10 includes a duct 7x that guides the air from the fan 7 toward the first area A1 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

[0044] The duct 7x discharges the airflow from the fan 7 to an area in the first area A1 along the surface of the intermediate transfer body 440 (see FIGS. 4 to 6). In the example shown in FIG. 4, the duct 7x is a branch duct that guides the airflow from the fan 7 to the first area A1 and other areas.

[0045] In the image forming apparatus 10, the target pipe 60x serves both as a member for supporting some of the image processing units and as a duct for guiding cooling air from the first area A1 to the second area A2. That is, the fan 7, the duct 7x, and the target pipe 60x constitute an air-cooling mechanism.

[0046] By employing the image forming apparatus 10, it is possible to efficiently cool the plurality of image processing units using the air-cooling mechanism that occupies a small space.

[0047] [Notes on the Invention] The following is a summary of the invention extracted from the above-described embodiment. Note that the configurations and processing functions described in the following supplementary notes can be selected and combined as desired.

[0048] <Appendix 1> a structure including a plurality of joined pipes; a plurality of image processing units supported by the structure and performing image forming processing; a fan for circulating air in an area where the plurality of image processing units are arranged, The plurality of image processing units include: a first processing unit disposed in a first region on one side of a target pipe, the target pipe being one of the plurality of pipes; a second processing unit disposed in a second region on the other side of the target pipe; a plurality of ventilation holes are formed on a first side surface of the target pipe facing the first region and a second side surface of the target pipe facing the second region; The fan causes air to flow from the first area to the second area via the plurality of ventilation holes of the target pipe.

[0049] <Appendix 2> The image forming apparatus described in Appendix 1, wherein the fan blows air into the first area, causing air to flow from the first area to the second area via the multiple ventilation holes of the target pipe.

[0050] <Appendix 3> 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fan blows air to the first area along a longitudinal direction of the target pipe.

[0051] <Appendix 4> the second processing unit is a toner transport unit that transports the toner sent out from the toner storage unit to the developing device, The image forming apparatus according to any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 3, wherein the first processing unit has an intermediate transfer body onto which a toner image formed on the surface of an image carrier by a development process by the developing device is transferred, and is a transfer unit that transfers the toner image from the intermediate transfer body to a sheet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1: Main body 4x: Image forming unit 5: Toner transport unit 6 :Structure 6x: Additional parts 6xx: Target additional parts 7: Fan 10: Image forming device 40: Optical scanning unit 41: Photoreceptor 42: Charging device 43: Developing device 44: Transcription unit 60: Square pipe 60x: Target pipe 62a: 1st side 62b: 2nd side 64: Ventilation hole 440: Intermediate transfer body A1: 1st area A2:Second area

Claims

1. a structure including a plurality of joined pipes; a plurality of image processing units supported by the structure and performing image forming processing; a fan for circulating air in an area where the plurality of image processing units are arranged, The plurality of image processing units include: a first processing unit disposed in a first region on one side of a target pipe, the target pipe being one of the plurality of pipes; a second processing unit disposed in a second region on the other side of the target pipe; a plurality of ventilation holes are formed on a first side surface of the target pipe facing the first region and a second side surface of the target pipe facing the second region; The fan causes air to flow from the first area to the second area via the plurality of ventilation holes of the target pipe.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fan blows air into the first area, thereby causing air to flow from the first area to the second area via the plurality of ventilation holes of the target pipe.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the fan blows air to the first area along a longitudinal direction of the target pipe.

4. the second processing unit is a toner transport unit that transports the toner sent out from the toner storage unit to the developing device, 4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first processing unit is a transfer unit having an intermediate transfer body onto which a toner image formed on the surface of an image carrier by a development process by the developing device is transferred, and which transfers the toner image from the intermediate transfer body to a sheet.

Images