Image forming apparatus having a ventilated image forming unit
US5038174A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 30, 1990 |
| Grant date | Aug 6, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 30, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2221/183
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit which is detachably mounted in the stationary main part of the apparatus. The unit includes an image carrier with a photosensitive layer, a charging device capable of electrostatically charging the image carrier in contact therewith, and a housing supporting the image carrier and the charging device and provided with an exposure opening. An air flow is positively formed such that, with the image forming unit mounted in a predetermined mounting portion in the apparatus, air flows from regions near both ends of the image carrier towards the exposure opening past a region where the charging device contacts the image carrier. With this arrangement, ozone generated in the image forming unit due to operation of the contact type charging device is efficiently carried away from the image forming unit, thus eliminating generation of image defects attributable to presence of ozone and other discharge products.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.