EP0398262A2 - Elektrophotographisches Gerät - Google Patents

Elektrophotographisches Gerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0398262A2
EP0398262A2 EP90109155A EP90109155A EP0398262A2 EP 0398262 A2 EP0398262 A2 EP 0398262A2 EP 90109155 A EP90109155 A EP 90109155A EP 90109155 A EP90109155 A EP 90109155A EP 0398262 A2 EP0398262 A2 EP 0398262A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
substrate
iron
electrophotographic apparatus
aluminum
ozone
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP90109155A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0398262A3 (de
Inventor
Naoto C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Fujimura
Koji C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Yamazaki
Kiyoshi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sakai
Teigo C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sakakibara
Noriko C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Hirayama
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Canon Inc
Original Assignee
Canon Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Canon Inc filed Critical Canon Inc
Publication of EP0398262A2 publication Critical patent/EP0398262A2/de
Publication of EP0398262A3 publication Critical patent/EP0398262A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
    • G03G21/20—Humidity or temperature control also ozone evacuation; Internal apparatus environment control
    • G03G21/206—Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus, particularly relates to an electrophotographic apparatus chiefly comprising a charging means, an exposure means and a developing means and also equipped with an air filter when atmospheric discharge generating a so-called corona product, such as O3, NOx or HNO3, is used as the charging means in the electrophotographic apparatus.
  • a so-called corona product such as O3, NOx or HNO3
  • electrophotographic apparatus a copying machine, laser beam printer (LBP), microreader printer, etc., are manufactured.
  • electrophotographic apparatus includes means for charging, exposure, developing, transfer, cleaning, whole exposure, etc., respectively disposed around an electrophotosensitive member.
  • a photosensitive member comprising an organic photoconductor (OPC) which is inexpensive, pollution-­free and high sensitive or a photosensitive member comprising amorphous silicon (a-Si) which is pollution-­free, high-durable and high-stable are being adopted as the mainstream.
  • OPC organic photoconductor
  • a-Si amorphous silicon
  • the electrophotographic apparatus using the OPC photosensitive member causes, e.g., a partial decrease in chargeability (i.e., white dropout of an image in normal development and a black streak of an image in reversal development) and the electrophotographic apparatus using the a-Si photosensitive member causes an image blur (i.e., a decrease in resolution).
  • a partial decrease in chargeability i.e., white dropout of an image in normal development and a black streak of an image in reversal development
  • the electrophotographic apparatus using the a-Si photosensitive member causes an image blur (i.e., a decrease in resolution).
  • NOx is supposed to be transformed into a stable substance, such as NO2 or HNO3 to remain for a long time because a large amount of NO2 or HNO3 is physically adsorbed to a member having a large surface area such as the ozone-removing filter. Further, it is reasonably considered that once adsorbed NO2 or HNO3 is desorbed and flown backward in the apparatus when the apparatus is stopped. It is possible that NOx or HNO3 emitted out of the apparatus fills a room to recirculate in the apparatus. Further, it is possible that a part of the air containing NOx or HNO3 once passed through the filter is again taken in the apparatus.
  • the substrates of the conventional ozone-­removing-filters have been generally made of paper, cloth and ceramics such as alumina, silica or chromium oxide, and have been properly used in view of use, cost, etc. Further, as ozone removers disposed on the substrates, activated carbon and an oxide such as titanium oxide, silica or magnesium dioxide have been generally used. However, though a conventional filter comprising the above substrate and the above ozone remover formed thereon shows ozone-removing effect, it shows no effect of removing NOx and HNO3.
  • An object of the invention is to provide an electrophotographic apparatus capable of preventing a part of a photosensitive member beneath a primary charger and is an exhaust passage from causing a local decrease in chargeability or image blurring to obtain a high-quality image.
  • an electrophotographic apparatus of the type in which a photosensitive member is charged by atmospheric discharge which apparatus is equipped with an air filter including: a substrate comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, iron, aluminum alloy and iron alloy; and a coating layer comprising an ozone remover formed on the substrate.
  • the air filter according to the present invention provides decreased densities of NOx and HNO3 in exhaust gas and prevents NOx and HNO3 from desorbing flowing backward or recirculating in the electrophotographic apparatus by chemical adsorbing NOx and HNO3 once adsorbed on the surface of the air filter. Further, the air filter also has an ozone-­removing ability more than that of a conventional air filter.
  • the substrate used in the air filter comprising aluminum, iron, aluminum alloy or iron alloy. More specifically, the substrate may comprise a layer of at least one metal of aluminum, iron, aluminum alloy and iron alloy coating a surface of a supporting member made of a material other than aluminum, iron, aluminum alloy and iron alloy, such as paper, cloth or ceramics; or a structure of a metal plate or metal foil per se comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, iron, aluminum alloy and iron alloy.
  • the above aluminum alloy and iron alloy may contain a metal such as Fe, Ni, Cr, Cu, Sn, Zn or Mg, as other alloy components.
  • a content of aluminum and/or iron in the above alloys may be 10 wt. % or above, preferably be 20 wt. % or above.
  • the coating layer having an ozone-removing capacity is prepared, for example, in the following manner.
  • An ozone remover comprising activated carbon or an ozone-decomposing catalyst such as titanium oxide, silica, cupric oxide or magnesium dioxide, as a main component; a binder such as clay or glass, as desired; and a dispersant, such as water for convenience of coating, are mixed and dispersed to prepare a coating liquid.
  • the whole surface of the above-mentioned substrate is coated with the coating liquid by dipping and dried to provide the coating layer.
  • the thickness of the coating layer may be 0.1 - 500 microns, preferably be 1 - 300 microns.
  • an intermediate layer such as an adhesive layer can be formed between the substrate and the coating layer.
  • the air filter used in the invention may preferably be in such a form that provides a large efficiency for removing O3, NOx and HNO3 and a decreased pressure loss, particularly be in a network structure.
  • a network structure may include, e.g., a roll structure of corrugate board as shown in Figure 2; one having many perforations formed by molding as shown in Figure 3; and a honeycomb structure as shown in Figure 4.
  • the honeycomb structure as shown in Figure 4 formed by using a metal foil comprising at least one metal of, e.g., aluminum, iron, aluminum alloy and iron alloy, as the substrate, may particularly be preferred.
  • the wall thickness of the substrate of the air filter used in the invention as described above may be 10 - 1000 microns, preferably be 20 - 600 microns.
  • the wall thickness of the substrate using the metal foil may arbitrarily be selected in the range of about 20 - 400 microns and may be thinner than that of the conventional substrate using paper or ceramics, whereby the removing efficiency of O3, NOx and HNO3 is remarkably improved.
  • the metal foil is much better in this respect.
  • the substrate formed of a metal foil has advantages of low production costs etc.
  • a substrate having a honeycomb structure can be formed by using the above-mentioned metal foil.
  • the surface of the metal foil can be roughened in order to enhance the adhesive strength and enlarge the surface area, so that the removing rate of NOx and HNO3 is improved.
  • FIG 1 is a schematic structural view of an electrophotographic apparatus of the invention using the air filter.
  • the electrophotographic apparatus includes a housing 1, on which an original cover 2b and an original stand 2a comprising a glass plate are disposed.
  • An original 3 placed on the original stand 2a is irradiated with light from a lamp 4.
  • the reflected light passes through mirrors 5a, a lens 6 and a mirror 5b to reach a photosensitive drum 7 used as an image-carrying member, which comprises an amorphous silicon photosensitive layer formed on a cylindrical substrate by film formation.
  • the above lamp 4, mirrors 5a and lens 6 are capable of moving in the direction of the upper left arrow shown in Figure 1 by a drive means (not shown) in the housing 1.
  • the above photosensitive drum 7 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown inside of the photosensitive drum in Figure 1 and uniformly charged by means of a primary charger 8 utilizing corona discharge.
  • image exposure with the reflected light from the original 3 is effected to form an electrostatic latent image.
  • the electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing unit 9 to form a toner image.
  • the toner image is carried together with a recording material such as a plastic film (not shown) supplied from a register roller 10, to reach a position opposite to a transfer charger 11 utilizing corona discharge, and then the toner image is transferred to the recording material.
  • the resultant recording material with the toner image is separated from the photosensitive drum 7 by using a separation charger 12 utilizing corona discharge to be conveyed to a fixing device (not shown). Residual toner particles on the photosensitive drum 7 are removed by means of a cleaner 14, and residual charge on the photosensitive drum 7 is erased by emitting erasing light 15 to prepare for the next cycle.
  • air is exhausted to the outside of the apparatus by means of an exhaust fan 16.
  • an air filter 17a is disposed for treating the air.
  • air is sent into the apparatus through an air filter 17b by means of a blowing fan 18.
  • FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an embodiment for explaining this case.
  • a controller 21 controls a image-reading part 20 and a printer 29.
  • the whole controller 21 is controlled by means of a CPU (central processing unit) 27.
  • Read data from the image-reading part is transmitted to a partner station through a transmitting circuit 23, and on the other hand, the received data from the partner station is sent to the printer 29 through a receiving circuit 22.
  • An image memory memorizes prescribed image data.
  • a printer controller 28 controls the printer 29 and a reference numeral 24 denotes a telephone.
  • the image received through a circuit 25 (the image data sent through the circuit from a connected remote terminal) is demodulated by means of the receiving circuit and successively stored in an image memory 26 after a restoring-signal processing of the image data.
  • image recording of the page is effected.
  • the CPU 27 reads out the image data for one page from the image memory 26 and sends the image data for one page subjected to the restoring-signal processing to the printer controller 28.
  • the printer controller 28 receives the image data for one page from the CPU 27 and controls the printer 29 in order to effect image-data recording. Further, the CPU 27 is caused to receive image for a subsequent page during the recording by the printer 29. As described above, the receiving and recording of the image are performed.
  • a substrate having a honeycomb structure as shown in Figure 4 was prepared by using a 50 micron-­thick iron foil.
  • the substrate had material properties including: a cell density of 140 cells/inch2, an aperture rate of 75 %, a surface area of 20 cm2/cm3, sizes of 100 mm x 100 mm and a thickness of 5 mm.
  • the whole surface of the above-­prepared substrate was coated with the coating liquid by dipping and was dried to prepare a coating layer at a rate of 200 g/m2 for removing ozone.
  • the air filter thus prepared is referred to as a filter 1.
  • an iron substrate having a structure including many perforations as shown in Figure 3 was prepared by molding.
  • the iron substrate had material properties including: a wall thickness of 0.3 mm, an aperture rate of 64 %, a cell density of 210 cells/inch2, a pitch of 1.7 mm, a surface area of 18 cm2/cm3, sizes of 100 mm x 100 mm and a thickness of 5 mm.
  • the catalyst layer was formed in the same manner as in the case of the filter 1.
  • the air filter thus prepared is referred to as a filter 2.
  • an air filter was prepared in the same manner as in the case of the filter 2 except that the iron substrate was replaced with an alumina substrate to provide a filter 3.
  • Example 1 An exhaust port (the reference numeral 17a in Figure 1) of a color laser copying machine (CLC-1, manufactured by Canon K.K.) was equipped with each of the above-prepared air filters. Then, the measurement of the densities of O3 and NOx (converted into NO2 density) in the exhaust air and examination of image characteristics after a durability test were performed. The above test is referred to as Example 1.
  • a ventilation port (the reference numeral 17b in Figure 1) of the blowing fan for blowing the primary charger of the above color laser copying machine was equipped with the above-prepared air filters, respectively. Then, the measurement and the examination were performed in the same manner as in Example 1 to provide Example 2.
  • the exhaust density was measured after one hour from the start of a continuous copying test by means of a measuring apparatus (1003-­AH, manufactured by Dylec Corp.) for O3 density and a measuring apparatus (ECL-77A, manufactured by Yanagimoto Seisakusho K.K.) for NOx density.
  • the exhaust air was passed through the filter at a velocity of 0.8 m/sec.
  • the durability test was performed by using the above-mentioned copying machine as follows. The copying machine was first used for making 10,000 sheets by using a mode giving one A4-­sized full-color copy every 30 seconds, thereafter leftstanding in the room for three days, and then used again for forming images, the states of which were observed for examination.
  • Table 1 Ex.No. Filter O3 density (ppm) NOx density (ppm) Image defects after durability test* (After standing for 3 days) 1 1 0.15 0.017 None/Utterly None 2 0.19 0.020 " 3 0.19 0.030 Remarkably observed/Problem 2 1 0.11 0.010 None/Utterly None 2 0.14 0.015 " 3 0.14 0.030 Remarkably observed/Problem *: Change in image density at a portion under a primary charger/Problem for practical use.
  • Example 1 in Table 1 in the electrophotographic apparatus of the invention using the air filters 1 and 2, NOx density was remarkably decreased compared with one using the conventional filter 3 (particularly, filter 1/filter 3 ratio of about 1/2) and there was no problem for practical use. On the other hand, the filter 3 was not acceptable for practical use. Further, O3 density by the filter 1 particularly showed a lower value by about 20 % them by the filter 3. This is presumably because the filter 1 of the invention had a honeycomb structure of a metal foil which provided advantages of a small pressure loss and a large surface area.
  • Example 2 The results in Example 2 are the same as in Example 1 and show that the removing rate of O3 or NOx was further improved by equipping the ventilation port to the primary charger with a filter of the invention. It is supposed that O3 and NOx were not completely removed out of the above copying machine by the exhaust fan, remained partially in the machine to be recirculated by the blowing fan etc., and another part was once removed out of the machine and taken in the machine again.
  • HNO3 caused the above phenomenon because HNO3, different from O3 and NOx, adhered to various inside positions of the machine after the termination of copying and was desorbed little by little to move and act on a certain position of the photosensitive member for a long time.
  • the air filter used in the invention has reactivity with HNO3 (and further has good adsorption efficiency because of large surface area), whereby once adsorbed HNO3 is hardly separated from the air filter.
  • HNO3 could not be quantitatively measured, it was possible to observe a marked removing effect for HNO3 when the durability test was done by using an actual copying machine.
  • An air filter 4 was prepared in the same manner as in the case of the filter 1 except that a 25 micron-thick aluminum foil substrate was used. The thus prepared filter 4 was examined in the same manner as in Example 2 to show the following results.
  • An air filter 5 was prepared in the same manner as in the case of the filter 4 except that the activated carbon was replaced by a CuO/MnO2 mixture catalyst.
  • the thus prepared filter 5 was examined in the same manner as in Example 2 to show the following results.
  • the air filter used in the invention also has an excellent effect in combination with a catalyst-type ozone remover.
  • the electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention has an excellent effect of removing NOx, particularly HNO3 without decreasing O3 removing efficiency, prevents deterioration of copy image quality caused by HNO3, and can provide images having no defects even after successive use.
  • An electrophotographic apparatus of the type in which a photosensitive member is charged by atmospheric discharge is equipped with an air filter including a substrate comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, iron, aluminum alloy and iron alloy, and a coating layer formed on the substrate comprising an ozone remover.
  • the substrate is effective in removing NOx and HNO3 and has a long life while not hindering the ozone-removing action of the ozone remover disposed thereon, whereby the apparatus can show excellent electrophotographic performances even after successive use while preventing deterioration due to ozone, NOx and HNO3 produced by the atmospheric discharge.

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  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Atmospheric Sciences (AREA)
  • Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
  • Ecology (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Treating Waste Gases (AREA)
  • Electrostatic Charge, Transfer And Separation In Electrography (AREA)
  • Photoreceptors In Electrophotography (AREA)
EP19900109155 1989-05-16 1990-05-15 Elektrophotographisches Gerät Withdrawn EP0398262A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP123869/89 1989-05-16
JP1123869A JPH02303518A (ja) 1989-05-16 1989-05-16 電子写真装置

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0398262A2 true EP0398262A2 (de) 1990-11-22
EP0398262A3 EP0398262A3 (de) 1991-03-13

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JP (1) JPH02303518A (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7885572B2 (en) 2006-04-28 2011-02-08 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corona discharge device, photoreceptor charger, and method for making discharge product removing member

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3026969A1 (de) * 1979-07-16 1981-02-12 Canon Kk Kopiergeraet
JPS60244326A (ja) * 1984-05-21 1985-12-04 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 電子写真複写機のオゾン分解フイルタ−
DE3433093A1 (de) * 1984-09-08 1986-03-20 Bergwerksverband Gmbh, 4300 Essen Mit katalytisch aktivem material beschichtete wabenkatalysatoren zur no(pfeil abwaerts)x(pfeil abwaerts)-reduktion und verfahren zu deren herstellung
US4680040A (en) * 1986-01-17 1987-07-14 Xerox Corporation Multipurpose filtering material
JPS6468774A (en) * 1987-09-09 1989-03-14 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd Ozone and nitrogen oxide removing member

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3026969A1 (de) * 1979-07-16 1981-02-12 Canon Kk Kopiergeraet
JPS60244326A (ja) * 1984-05-21 1985-12-04 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 電子写真複写機のオゾン分解フイルタ−
DE3433093A1 (de) * 1984-09-08 1986-03-20 Bergwerksverband Gmbh, 4300 Essen Mit katalytisch aktivem material beschichtete wabenkatalysatoren zur no(pfeil abwaerts)x(pfeil abwaerts)-reduktion und verfahren zu deren herstellung
US4680040A (en) * 1986-01-17 1987-07-14 Xerox Corporation Multipurpose filtering material
JPS6468774A (en) * 1987-09-09 1989-03-14 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd Ozone and nitrogen oxide removing member

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 010, no. 120 (C-343) <2177> 06 May 1986 & JP 60 244326 A (FUJI XEROX) 04 December 1985 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 013, no. 279 (P-891) <3627> 27 June 1989 & JP 01 068774 A (FUJI XEROX) 14 March 1989 *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7885572B2 (en) 2006-04-28 2011-02-08 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corona discharge device, photoreceptor charger, and method for making discharge product removing member
CN101473278B (zh) * 2006-04-28 2011-04-06 夏普株式会社 电晕放电装置、感光体带电充电器、及电晕放电装置的制造方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0398262A3 (de) 1991-03-13
JPH02303518A (ja) 1990-12-17

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