Electrophotography – Internal machine environment – Forced air circulation
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-09
2004-08-03
Lee, Susan S. Y. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Internal machine environment
Forced air circulation
C399S405000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06771917
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for use as, for example, an electrophotographic copier, for ejecting a sheet on which an image is transferred to a sheet receiving unit of an apparatus body.
An image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copier comprises a document table glass on which a document is to be placed, on an upper part of the apparatus body. An image scanner for optically scanning an image of the document is provided under the document table glass. The image information scanned by the image scanner is formed as an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum. A developer is supplied to the electrostatic latent image by a developing unit and, therefore, the electrostatic latent image becomes a developer image. The developer image is transferred to a sheet, which is regarded as an image-transferred material. The sheet on which the developer image is transferred is conveyed by a conveyance mechanism. The transferred image is fixed on the sheet by a fixing unit during the conveyance and then the sheet is ejected.
Incidentally, the sheet is ejected to the outside of the apparatus body to simplify the structure of the apparatus body or to convey the sheet linearly.
On the other hand, recently, the apparatus allowing the sheet to be ejected to the sheet receiving unit provided inside the apparatus body while making the printed surface of the sheet face downward has been developed in order to maintain the secrecy of a document image printed on the sheet, to make the distance of conveyance of the sheet shorter, and to save the space. The sheet ejected to the sheet receiving unit is heated at the fixing unit before the ejection. The sheet therefore emits the heat inside the sheet receiving unit.
However, the image scanner is positioned at the uppermost part of the apparatus body when the function thereof is considered, and the sheet receiving unit is arranged immediately under the image scanner. Thus, the temperature of the image scanner is raised by the heat emitted from the sheets collected in the sheet receiving unit. As the image scanner comprises the optical components and the electronic components, the rise of the temperature causes a problem that a bad influence may be given to the performances of the optical components and the electronic components and thereby the image may be deteriorated.
To prevent the rise of the temperature of the image scanner, suction of outside air by use of a fan or the like to cool the image scanner is conceived.
However, the image scanner contains the optical components and is easily affected by dust and the like. For this reason, it is desirable not to provide an opening portion such as an air inlet on the image scanner, and it is not preferable to cool the image scanner by sucking the outside air into the image scanner.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is accomplished in consideration of the above-described circumstances. The present invention aims to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the rise of the temperature of the image scanner caused by the heat of the image-transferred members ejected to the sheet receiving unit, without sucking the outside air into the image scanner.
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises an apparatus body having a document table portion on which a document is placed, scanning means provided inside the apparatus body, for optically scanning an image of the document placed on the document table portion, image forming means for forming a developer image on an image carrier in accordance with image information scanned by the scanning means, transfer means for transferring the developer image formed by the image forming means on an image-transferred member, an ejecting unit for ejecting the image-transferred member on which the developer image is transferred by the transfer means to the outside, a sheet receiving unit provided inside the apparatus body, for receiving the image-transferred member ejected from the ejecting unit, and blowing means for blowing cooling air to the sheet receiving unit.
Further, an image forming apparatus of the present invention comprises an apparatus body having a document table portion on which a document is placed, scanning means provided inside the apparatus body, for optically scanning an image of the document placed on the document table portion, image forming means for forming a developer image on an image carrier in accordance with image information scanned by the scanning means, transfer means for transferring the developer image formed by the image forming means on an image-transferred member, an ejecting unit for ejecting the image-transferred member on which the developer image is transferred by the transfer means to the outside, a sheet receiving unit provided at a lower part of the scanning means inside the apparatus body, for receiving the image-transferred member ejected from the ejecting unit, and blowing means for blowing cooling air to the sheet receiving unit along a lower surface part of the scanning means.
Moreover, an image forming apparatus of the present invention comprises an apparatus body having a document table portion on which a document is placed, scanning means provided inside the apparatus body, for optically scanning an image of the document placed on the document table portion, latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier in accordance with image information scanned by the scanning means, developing means for supplying a developer to the electrostatic latent image formed by the electrostatic latent image forming means to form a developer image, transfer means for transferring the developer image formed by the developing means on an image-transferred member, fixing means for fixing the developer image transferred by the transfer means on the image-transferred member, an ejecting unit for ejecting the image-fixed member on which the developer image is fixed by the fixing means, a sheet receiving unit provided at a lower part of the scanning means inside the apparatus body, for receiving the image-transferred member ejected from the ejecting unit, and blowing means for blowing cooling air to the sheet receiving unit along a lower surface part of the scanning means.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
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Foley & Lardner LLP
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Lee Susan S. Y.
LandOfFree
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