JPS608859A - Recording device holding high water absorptivity material in it - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To restore the water absorption function of a material high in water absorptivity deteriorated by absorbing water during the suspension of operation of a recording device by arranging the material at the position near a heat source or a temp. rising zone during the operation in the recording device. CONSTITUTION:A small amt. of sodium polyacrylate 1 is distraibuted into each pouch obtained by dividing a bag of porous cloth into many parts of small areas and sealed. This bag is hung with proper rings 3, 3 near a heat source or a zone rising in temp. during the operation in a recording device, such as a heat fixing device, an exposing lamp, a motor, and a high voltage power supply. Since most of temps. of these members generally exceed 60 deg.C, sodium polyacrylate restores water absorption function perfectly, and it can provides for low temp. high humidity at night. Since exchange of the drying agent or its heating restoration of function is seldom necessary, the image quality can be maintained at low cost.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 （産業上の利用分野） 本発明は記録装置、特に電子写真プロセスを使用する複
写機或いはプリンタにおけるプロセス構成要素の防湿に
関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to moisture proofing of process components in recording devices, particularly copiers or printers using electrophotographic processes.

（従来技術） 電子写真プロセスは、周知の通り感光体上に適当な荷電
装置を用いて、或いはこれと光学系を併用して静電潜像
を形成し、これをトナによって現像し現像されたトナ像
をそのまま定着するか、或いは所定の用紙に転写した後
定着してハード・コピを得るものである。(Prior Art) As is well known, in the electrophotographic process, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photoconductor using a suitable charging device or an optical system in combination with the electrostatic latent image, and this is developed by toner. The toner image is fixed as is, or it is transferred to a predetermined paper and then fixed to obtain a hard copy.

このようなプロセスは、先ず荷電時に感光体上が高湿で
あれば静電潜像の形成を確実に行うことが不可能となり
、又光学系をもちいるプロセスにあってはこれが結露に
よって曇れば画像の明瞭性を失う。In such a process, if the humidity on the photoreceptor is high during charging, it is impossible to form an electrostatic latent image reliably, and in processes that use an optical system, if the image becomes cloudy due to condensation, it becomes impossible to form an electrostatic latent image. Loss of image clarity.

更に、１・すによる現像のプロセスに於いてこれがトナ
とキャリアとの摩擦帯電を利用する所謂２成分現像系で
あれ、磁性トナと１−リマ或いはスリーブ等との摩擦或
いはこれらを用いて電荷注入を行う所謂−成分現像系で
あれ、高ｌＡａ環境を嫌うものであることはいうまでも
ない。Furthermore, in the development process based on 1.S, whether this is a so-called two-component development system that utilizes frictional electrification between a toner and a carrier, friction between a magnetic toner and a 1-reamer or sleeve, or charge injection using these. It goes without saying that even a so-called -component development system that performs this process dislikes a high IAa environment.

尚、更に転写プロセスを伴う場合には用紙が吸湿してい
れば転写に必要な電位を確保し難く転写不良に伴うコピ
画像の抜は等が生ずることも周知である。Furthermore, it is well known that when a transfer process is involved, if the paper absorbs moisture, it is difficult to secure the potential necessary for transfer, resulting in copy images being omitted due to poor transfer.

このような問題を回避する為には従来がら機械全体を充
分調湿された環境に設置することが推奨され、又機械不
使用時、特に夜間発熱源である定着器に通電しておく等
々の手段をとる必要があり、設備投資、ランニング・コ
ストの面で重大な問題となっていた。To avoid such problems, it is conventionally recommended to install the entire machine in a well-controlled environment, and to keep the fuser, which is the source of heat, energized when the machine is not in use, especially at night. It was necessary to take measures, which posed a serious problem in terms of capital investment and running costs.

（発明の目的） 本発明は上述した従来の記録装置、特に電子写真プロセ
スを用いた複写機又はプリンタに於いて、格別の環境或
いはエネルギ使用を必要としない防湿手段を提供するこ
とを目的とする。(Object of the Invention) It is an object of the present invention to provide a moisture-proofing means that does not require a special environment or use of energy in the above-mentioned conventional recording apparatus, especially a copying machine or printer using an electrophotographic process. .

（発明の構成） 上記目的を達成する為、本発明に於いては高吸水性物質
を記録装置内、発熱源近傍或いは運転中高温となる位置
に配置することによって機械不使用時、吸湿して吸水１
Ｍ能の低下した高吸水性物質の機能をその運転期間中に
回復させるようにした（実施例） 以下、本発明を実施例に基づいて詳細に説明する。(Structure of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a highly water-absorbing substance is placed inside the recording device, near the heat source, or in a position that becomes hot during operation, so that the material absorbs moisture when the machine is not in use. Water absorption 1
The function of a highly water-absorbing substance whose M capacity has been reduced is restored during its operation period (Example) The present invention will be described in detail below based on Examples.

吸水性を有する物質としては塩化カルシウム、ソーダ石
灰又は濃硫酸等がよく知られ又使用されているが、これ
らはいずれも吸水能、安全性或いは吸水能回復手段等の
面からみて適当ではない。Calcium chloride, soda lime, concentrated sulfuric acid, and the like are well known and used as water-absorbing substances, but none of these are suitable from the viewpoint of water-absorbing ability, safety, or means for recovering water-absorbing ability.

そこで本発明に於いては上述した特性を全て満足するも
のとしてポリアクリル酸ソーダを用いる。ポリアクリル
酸ソーダの特性は第１図に示すように極めて高い吸水能
を有する。Therefore, in the present invention, sodium polyacrylate is used as a material that satisfies all of the above characteristics. As shown in FIG. 1, sodium polyacrylate has an extremely high water absorption capacity.

又、これは第２図に示すように加熱することによって極
めて急速に吸収していた水分を放出するものである。Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, when heated, the absorbed moisture is released extremely rapidly.

従って、このポリアクリル酸ソーダｌを第３図（ａｌ、
（ｂｌに示すように多孔性クロスを小面積毎に分割した
ポーチ２に夫々少量ずつ封入し、適当なリング３．３に
よって機内の発熱部近傍又は運転中高温となる部分につ
っておけばよい。Therefore, this polyacrylic acid soda l is shown in Figure 3 (al,
(As shown in bl, a small amount of porous cloth is sealed in each pouch 2 divided into small areas, and the cloth is hung using an appropriate ring 3.3 near the heat generating part inside the machine or in a part that becomes high temperature during operation.) .

前記発熱部としては熱定着器、露光ランプ、動力（モー
フ）或いはその電源及び帯電機の高圧電源等であり、そ
の他運転中高温となる部分は一般的には特定できないが
機内空気流の停滞するような場所及び排気孔近傍を挙げ
ることができる。これらの温度は運転中は一般に６０℃
を越える部分が多いのでポリアクリル酸ソーダは２乃至
３時間以内に完全に吸水機能を回復し、夜間の低温高湿
時に備えることができる。The heat generating parts include the heat fixing device, the exposure lamp, the motive power (morph) or its power supply, the high voltage power supply of the charging machine, etc. Other parts that become hot during operation cannot be specified in general, but the air flow inside the machine is stagnant. Examples include locations such as this and near exhaust holes. These temperatures are generally 60℃ during operation.
Since there are many parts that exceed this temperature, sodium polyacrylate completely recovers its water-absorbing function within 2 to 3 hours, and can be used at night when the temperature is low and high humidity.

尚、効果は幾分劣るがシリカ・ゲルを同様にして用いて
もよい。Incidentally, silica gel may be used in the same manner, although the effect is somewhat inferior.

（発明の効果） 以上説明したような手段によって機内乾燥を行った場合
の一実験例を現像剤の帯電量の変化に示すと第４図のよ
うになる。本図からも明らかなように、本発明によれば
高吸水性物質を機内所定の位置に配置する以外格別の対
策を必要とせず、複写機等の機内を低湿度に保持するこ
とが可能となり、特にポリアクリル酸塩を使用する場合
その機能を長時間にわたり維持できるから、例えば朝一
番に機械を運転する場合にも当初から充分満足すべきコ
ピを得ることができると共に、乾燥剤の交換或いは加熱
による機能回復を図る必要性も殆ど生じないので極めて
低コストで記録画質を維持する効果がある。(Effects of the Invention) FIG. 4 shows an example of an experiment in which in-machine drying was performed using the means described above, and the changes in the amount of charge of the developer are shown. As is clear from this figure, according to the present invention, it is possible to maintain low humidity inside a copier or other machine without requiring any special measures other than placing a highly absorbent substance at a predetermined position inside the machine. In particular, when polyacrylates are used, their functionality can be maintained for a long time, so that, for example, when the machine is operated first thing in the morning, a satisfactory copy can be obtained from the beginning, and it is also possible to replace the desiccant or Since there is almost no need to recover the function by heating, it is possible to maintain the recorded image quality at extremely low cost.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第１図及び第２図は夫々ポリアクリル酸ソーダの吸水能
及び撥水能を示す特性図、第３図はポリアクリル酸ソー
ダを封入するポーチの一実施例を示す図、第４図は本発
明に係る乾燥剤内蔵の複写機とこれを用いない場合との
現像剤帯電量の変化を比較する実験結果を示す図である
。 １・・・・ポリアクリル酸ソーダ、２・・・・ポリアク
リル酸ソーダを封入するポーチ、３・・・・リング。 特許出願人　富士ゼロックス株式会社Figures 1 and 2 are characteristic diagrams showing the water absorption and water repellency of sodium polyacrylate, respectively. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a pouch containing sodium polyacrylate. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the water repellency of sodium polyacrylate. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing experimental results comparing changes in developer charge amount between a copying machine with a built-in desiccant according to the invention and a copying machine without the desiccant. 1...Sodium polyacrylate, 2...Pouch for enclosing sodium polyacrylate, 3...Ring. Patent applicant Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] （１）　電子写真複写機等の機内、発熱源近傍或いは高
湿部に高吸水性物質を配置したことを特徴とする高吸水
性物質を内蔵した記録装置。(1) A recording device containing a highly water-absorbing material, characterized in that the highly water-absorbing material is placed inside an electrophotographic copying machine, near a heat source, or in a high humidity area. （２）前記高吸水性物質を配置する発熱源或いは高湿部
が電子写真複写機等の露光ランプ、加熱定着器、帯電又
は動力用電源或いは排気孔の−又は二辺上であることを
特徴とする特許請求の範囲ｌ記載の高吸水性物質を内蔵
した記録装置。(2) The heat generating source or high humidity area in which the super absorbent substance is placed is on one or two sides of an exposure lamp, heat fixing device, charging or motive power source, or exhaust hole of an electrophotographic copying machine, etc. A recording device incorporating a super absorbent substance according to claim 1. （３）前記高吸水性物質がシリカゲル又はポリアクリル
酸塩であることを特徴とする特許請求の範囲ｌ又は２記
載の高吸水性物質を内蔵した記録装置。(3) A recording device incorporating a super absorbent substance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the super absorbent substance is silica gel or polyacrylate.