Electrophotographic copying apparatus with gas evacuating means

Claim 2

An electrophotographic copying apparatus which comprises a rotatable photoreceptor member having a photoconductive surface for repeated formation of an electrostatic latent image of an original thereon, means disposed around said photoreceptor member and including corona charger means for uniformly charging said surface, exposure means for exposing said charged surface to image light of the original through an optical assembly including an illuminating light source so as to form the electrostatic latent image of the original thereon, and means for eliminating harmful gases generated by said corona charger means disposed within the copying apparatus, said means having suction means for drawing away said harmful gases adjacent to the corona charger means and said surface, said suction means including first duct means having one opening adjacent to said corona charger means, and suction fan means connected with said first duct means for generating air flow in the first duct means for drawing said harmful gases generated within said corona charger means through said opening of the first duct means and toward said suction fan, and means for supplying fresh air free from harmful gases toward said photoconductive surface opposed to said corona charger means, said fresh air supplying means including second duct means, one end of the second duct means being adjacent to said photoconductive surface opposed to said corona charger means.

Claim 3

An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus has a housing and said first and second duct means have the other ends opening out of said apparatus housing, whereby said harmful gases sucked by said suction fan means through the one end of said first duct means are evacuated through the other end of the first duct means and air from outside of the apparatus housing is supplied to the photoconductive surface confronting said corona charger means through the second duct means.

Claim 4

An electrophotographic copying apparatus which comprises a rotatable photoreceptor member having a photoconductive surface for repeated formation of an electrostatic latent image of an original thereon, means disposed around said photoreceptor member and including corona charger means for uniformly charging said surface, exposure means for exposing said charged surface to image light of the original through an optical assembly including an illuminating light source so as to form the electrostatic latent image of the original thereon, and means for eliminating harmful gases generated by said corona charger means disposed within the copying apparatus, said means having duct means having one end adjacent said photoreceptor member and the other end opening out of the apparatus to the outside thereof and being divided into two portions extending along the length thereof, said corona charger means being in the end of one duct portion adjacent said photoreceptor member, and a line fan adjacent the other end of said duct and positioned relative to the two portions of said duct for drawing gases from around said corona discharge means through said one duct portion toward said line fan and causing fresh air to flow toward the photoreceptor means through the other duct portion during rotation of said line fan.

Claim 5

An electrophotographic copying apparatus which comprises a rotatable photoreceptor member having a photoconductive surface for repeated formation of an electrostatic latent image of an original thereon, means disposed around said photoreceptor member and including corona charger means for uniformly charging said surface, exposure means for exposing said charged surface to image light of the original through an optical assembly including an illuminating light source so as to form the electrostatic latent image of the original thereon, and means for eliminating harmful gases generated by said corona charger means disposed within the copying apparatus, said means having duct means having one end adjacent said photoreceptor member and the other end opening out of the apparatus to the outside thereof and being divided into two portions extending along the length thereof, said corona charger means being in the end of one duct portion adjacent said photoreceptor member, and a line fan adjacent the other end of said duct and positioned relative to the two portions of said duct for drawing gases from around said corona discharge means through said one duct portion toward said line fan and causing fresh air to flow toward the photoreceptor means through the other duct portion during rotation of said line fan.

Claim 6

An electrophotographic copying apparatus which comprises a rotatable photoreceptor member having a photoconductive surface for repeated formation of an electrostatic latent image of an original thereon, means disposed around said photoreceptor member and including corona charger means for uniformly charging said surface, exposure means for exposing said charged surface to image light of the original through an optical assembly including an illuminating light source so as to form the electrostatic latent image of the original thereon, and means for eliminating harmful gases generated by said corona charger means disposed within the copying apparatus, said means having suction means for drawing away said harmful gases adjacent to the corona charger means and said surface, said suction means including first duct means having one opening adjacent to said corona charger means, and suction fan means connected with said first duct means for generating air flow in the first duct means for drawing said harmful gases generated within said corona charger means through said opening of the first duct means and toward said suction fan, and a filter means disposed within said first duct means for absorbing said harmful gases from said air flow generated by said suction fan means, and means for supplying fresh air free from harmful gases toward said photoconductive surface opposed to said corona charger means, said fresh air supplying means including second duct means, one end of the second duct means being adjacent to said photoconductive surface opposed to said corona charger means and the other end of said second duct means being connected with the discharge side of said suction fan means, whereby the air flow in the first duct means including said harmful gases is forwarded into the second duct means after passing through said filter means and is supplied to said photoconductive means through said one end of said second duct means.

Claim 7

An electrophotographic copying apparatus which comprises a rotatable photoreceptor member having a photoconductive surface for repeated formation of an electrostatic latent image of an original thereon, means disposed around said photoreceptor member and including corona charger means for uniformly charging said surface, exposure means for exposing said charged surface to image light of the original through an optical assembly including an illuminating light source so as to form the electrostatic latent image of the original thereon, and means for eliminating harmful gases generated by said corona charger means disposed within the copying apparatus, said means having suction means for drawing away said harmful gases adjacent to the corona charger means and said surface, said suction means including first duct means having one opening adjacent to said corona charger means, and suction fan means connected with said first duct means for generating air flow in the first duct means for drawing said harmful gases generated within said corona charger means through said opening of the first duct means and toward said suction fan, and a filter means disposed within said first duct means for absorbing said harmful gases from said air flow generated by said suction fan means, and means for supplying fresh air free from harmful gases toward said photoconductive surface opposed to said corona charger means, said fresh air supplying means including second duct means, one end of the second duct means being adjacent to said photoconductive surface opposed to said corona charger means and the other end of said second duct means being connected with the discharge side of said suction fan means, whereby the air flow in the first duct means including said harmful gases is forwarded into the second duct means after passing through said filter means and is supplied to said photoconductive means through said one end of said second duct means.