CN116125768A - Developing box and processing box - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a developing cartridge and a process cartridge. The developing box comprises a box body and a counting detection member, wherein a powder bin is arranged in the box body, and the box body comprises a first end and a second end which are oppositely arranged in a first direction; the counting detection component comprises a counting gear, a rotating shaft and a counting detection wheel; the counting gear is arranged at the first end, the counting detection wheel is arranged at the second end, the rotating shaft penetrates through the space between the first end and the second end along the first direction, and the counting gear and the counting detection wheel are respectively connected to two opposite ends of the rotating shaft. The process cartridge includes the developing cartridge of the present invention. According to the invention, the counting gear is arranged at the first end where the connecting piece, the idler gear and the first stirring gear are located, the counting gear is driven to the first end, and then the rotation is transmitted to the counting detection wheel at the second end through the rotating shaft. Because the stirring frame is not arranged on the rotating shaft, even if the rotating shaft transversely passes through the powder bin, the torque born by the rotating shaft is smaller, the transmission precision between the counting gears at the two ends of the rotating shaft and the counting detection wheel is ensured, and the counting detection precision is improved.

Description

Developing box and processing box

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of electrophotographic imaging technology, and in particular to a developer cartridge and a process cartridge for a laser printer.

Background

The existing processing box for the laser printer comprises a developing box and a drum box, wherein the developing box is provided with a counting detection component, the counting detection component mainly comprises a counting detection wheel, a connecting piece for receiving the driving force of the printer on the developing box drives the counting detection wheel through a gear set, and in the rotation process of the counting detection wheel, a protruding structure regularly arranged on the counting detection wheel is contacted with a rod piece with a detection function on the printer, so that the rod piece moves regularly, and whether the specification of the developing box and the installation position of the processing box are accurate or not can be judged according to the rule.

The connecting piece and the counting detection wheel are respectively positioned at a first end and a second end which are opposite in the length direction of the developing box body; on the first end, the connecting piece, the idler wheel and the first stirring gear are meshed in sequence; the second stirring gear is meshed with the counting detection wheel at the second end; the first stirring gear at the first end and the second stirring gear at the second end realize coaxial rotation through a stirring shaft penetrating through the powder bin inside the box body, and a stirring frame for stirring carbon powder is arranged on the stirring shaft.

Although the transmission between the connecting piece and the counting detection component is realized by crossing the two ends of the length of the box body through the first stirring gear, the stirring shaft and the second stirring gear, the stirring frame is arranged on the stirring shaft, and the stirring frame stirs carbon powder to bear carbon powder resistance in the rotation process of the stirring shaft, so that the transmission precision is influenced by larger torque of the stirring shaft, and the counting detection precision is further influenced.

Disclosure of Invention

A first object of the present invention is to provide a developing cartridge that improves the transmission accuracy and improves the count detection accuracy.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge in which the transmission accuracy is improved and the count detection accuracy is improved.

The developing box provided by the first object of the invention comprises a box body and a counting detection component arranged on the box body, wherein a powder bin is arranged in the box body, and the box body comprises a first end and a second end which are oppositely arranged in a first direction; the counting detection component comprises a counting gear, a rotating shaft and a counting detection wheel; the counting gear is arranged at the first end, the counting detection wheel is arranged at the second end, the rotating shaft penetrates through the space between the first end and the second end along the first direction, and the counting gear and the counting detection wheel are respectively connected to two opposite ends of the rotating shaft.

According to the scheme, the developing box is not transmitted to the counting detection wheel by virtue of the stirring shaft, the counting gear is arranged at the first end where the connecting piece, the idler wheel and the first stirring gear are located, the developing box is transmitted to the counting gear at the first end, and the rotation is transmitted to the counting detection wheel at the second end by virtue of the rotating shaft. Because the stirring frame is not arranged on the rotating shaft, the torque born by the rotating shaft is smaller even if the rotating shaft transversely passes through the powder bin, the transmission precision between the counting gears at the two ends of the rotating shaft and the counting detection wheel is guaranteed, and then the counting detection precision is improved.

The further proposal is that the rotating shaft is arranged outside the powder bin.

From the above, more preferable scheme is, the whole setting of pivot can more effectively solve the carbon dust and to pivot pivoted hindrance in the powder storehouse outside, and this setting can further improve transmission precision and detection precision.

The box body is provided with a mounting concave position which is concaved on the surface of the box body, and at least one part of the rotating shaft is positioned in the mounting concave position.

From the above, this setting makes the external installation of pivot not influence the external profile of box body, guarantees developing cartridge's wild-type nature.

Further, at least one of the counting gear and the counting detection wheel is detachably connected with the rotating shaft.

As can be seen from the above, this arrangement makes the count detecting member easier to install.

Further, the developing cartridge includes a coupling member capable of receiving a driving force from the printer; the connecting piece is connected to the box body and positioned at the first end, and the connecting piece is in transmission fit with the counting gear.

Still further, the developing cartridge further includes a stirring frame and a stirring gear; the stirring rack is arranged in the powder bin, the stirring gear is arranged at the first end, and the stirring gear is used for driving the stirring rack; on the first end, the stirring gear is meshed with the counting gear.

In a further scheme, the stirring gear comprises a first tooth part and a second tooth part which are sequentially arranged along the axial direction of the stirring gear; the developing box also comprises an idler wheel, and the connecting piece is in transmission fit with the idler wheel; the first tooth portion is meshed with the idler gear, and the second tooth portion is meshed with the counting gear.

From the above, the connecting piece, the idler wheel, the stirring gear and the counting gear are sequentially linked, so that all transmission components are more compact on the premise of adapting to the design of the original gear set.

Still further, the outer circumference of the counting gear is provided with a third tooth part and a tooth missing part which are sequentially arranged along the circumferential direction of the counting gear; the third tooth portion is engaged with the second tooth portion.

From the above, this arrangement is used to achieve automatic resetting of the count detecting member.

The counting detection wheel is provided with a first limit structure, and the first limit structure is arranged on the periphery of the axis of the rotating shaft; the developing box also comprises a limiting piece, and the limiting piece is movably arranged on the counting detection wheel along the axial direction of the rotating shaft; the limiting piece can axially move between the rotation stopping position and the releasing position, and the limiting piece at the rotation stopping position is in limiting fit with the first limiting structure in the rotation direction of the counting detection wheel.

From the above, after the developing box is put into the printer, the limiting piece can be pushed to reach the position of the stop position, and the semi-automatic or full-automatic counting detection reset of the counting detection wheel can be realized by matching with the tooth missing part of the counting gear and the torsion spring.

Further, the developing cartridge further includes a torsion spring; the box body comprises a second end cover arranged at the second end, and the torsion spring is connected between the second end cover and the counting detection wheel; or, the box body comprises a first end cover arranged at the first end, and the torsion spring is connected between the first end cover and the counting gear.

From the above, the torsion spring is used for realizing the automatic reset of the counting detection component. The counting gear and the counting detection wheel coaxially rotate, and the torsion spring can be arranged between the second end cover of the second end and the counting detection wheel, and according to practical situations, the torsion spring can be arranged at the first end, arranged in the first end cover of the first end and abutted between the first end cover and the counting gear.

A process cartridge according to a second object of the present invention includes the above-described developing cartridge.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the developing cartridge of the present invention, with portions of the external structure removed, at a first viewing angle.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the developing cartridge of the present invention, with portions of the external structure removed, at a second view angle.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the developing cartridge of the present invention in a third view with portions of the external structure removed.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a cartridge upper case of the developing cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a structural view of a count detecting member in the developing cartridge embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram of a count detecting wheel in the developing cartridge embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram of the count detecting wheel, torsion spring and second end cap in the developing cartridge embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1 to 3, the developing cartridge of the present embodiment includes a cartridge body 1, a coupling member 21, an idler gear 22, a stirring gear 23, and a count detecting member 3 where the present invention is improved, and of course, the developing cartridge further includes a developing roller, a supply roller, a stirring frame, a doctor blade, and toner. The cartridge 1 according to the present invention includes a main body whose inner space constitutes a toner hopper for storing toner, a first end cap mounted on a first end of an end portion of the main body, etc., and in order to better show an assembled structure of the developing cartridge, the first end cap of the cartridge 1 and some of the shielded housing structures are removed in each drawing so that the coupling member 21, the idler gear 22, the stirring gear 23, the count detecting member 3, etc. are exposed in each drawing.

Referring to fig. 1, opposite ends in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 1 are a first end 101 and a second end 102, respectively, and the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 1, i.e., the first direction of the present invention, is the same as the conventional developing cartridge in that the coupling member 21, the idle gear 22 and the stirring gear 23 are rotatably installed on the first end 101, and when the developing cartridge is installed in a printer, the coupling member 21 can receive a driving force from the printer and drive the developing roller, the supply roller and the stirring frame to rotate through the idle gear 22, the developing gear and the stirring gear 23.

Referring to fig. 1, as in the conventional developing cartridge, a rotatable count detecting wheel 33 for count detection is provided at a first end 102 in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge body 1. Referring to fig. 6, in this embodiment, the counting detecting wheel 33 is provided with a counting detecting protrusion set, and the counting detecting protrusion set includes a main protrusion 331 and two auxiliary protrusions 332 disposed at intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 32, where a central angle corresponding to the main protrusion 331 is larger than a central angle of the auxiliary protrusions 332. In the process of rotating the counting detection wheel 33, the main boss 331 and the two auxiliary bosses 332 which are regularly arranged on the counting detection wheel 33 regularly touch with a rod piece with a detection function on the printer, and the printer can judge whether the specification of the developing box and the installation position of the processing box are accurate according to the regular touch. The design rule of the counting detection protruding group on the counting detection wheel 33 is disclosed in the chinese patent application of application number CN 2020487406.7.

The count detecting wheel 33 is driven by the coupling member 21. The present invention is directed to an improvement in the transmission structure of the coupling member 21 to the count detecting wheel 33. Referring to fig. 1 to 3 and 5, the count detecting member 3 of the present invention includes a count gear 31 and a rotating shaft 32 in addition to the count detecting wheel 33 described above. Referring to fig. 5, the counter gear 31 and the counter detection wheel 33 are fixed to both axial ends of the rotation shaft 32, respectively, so that the counter gear 31 and the counter detection wheel 33 can be rotated synchronously. In the present embodiment, the counter gear 31 and the counter detection wheel 33 are both detachably mounted on the rotation shaft 32.

Referring to fig. 4, the case 1 includes a housing 11, the housing 11 has a surface 11a, a mounting recess 110 recessed in the surface 11a is provided on the housing 11, the mounting recess 110 extends into a long and narrow space along a length direction of the case 1, the mounting recess 110 is open on the surface 11a, and two ends of the length of the mounting recess 110 are respectively connected to the first end 101 and the second end 102. The mounting recess 110 is adapted to receive the spindle 32. In practice, the invention also comprises a removable cover member (not shown) for covering the opening of the mounting recess 110 to provide shielding protection for the shaft 32 in the mounting recess 110 and to ensure the integrity of the external profile of the case 1.

Referring to fig. 1 to 3, when the rotating shaft 32 is mounted in the mounting recess 110, both axial ends of the rotating shaft 32 extend out of the first end 101 and the second end 102, respectively, the counter gear 31 connected to one end of the rotating shaft 32 is located at the first end 101, and the counter detecting wheel 33 connected to the other end of the rotating shaft 32 is located at the second end 102.

In this embodiment, on the first end 101, the coupling member 21, the idler gear 22, the stirring gear 23, and the counter gear 31 are sequentially engaged. Compared with the stirring gear with only one tooth part in the prior art, the stirring gear 23 of the invention comprises a first tooth part 231 with more tooth numbers and a second tooth part 232 with fewer tooth numbers, which are sequentially arranged along the axial direction of the stirring gear, wherein the first tooth part 231 is meshed with the idle gear 22, and the second tooth part 232 is meshed with the counting gear 31. Wherein, stirring gear 23 is used for driving the pivoted gear of stirring frame in the powder storehouse promptly, and stirring gear 23 and the coaxial rotation of (mixing) shaft are installed the stirring frame on the (mixing) shaft. The outer periphery of the counter gear 31 is provided with a third tooth portion 311 and a missing tooth portion 312 which are sequentially provided in the circumferential direction thereof, and the third tooth portion 311 is engaged with the second tooth portion 232.

In addition, the developing cartridge of the present embodiment further includes a stopper 34. The limiting piece 34 is movably mounted on the counting detection wheel 33 along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 32 through a spring, and the limiting piece 34 can rotate relative to the counting detection wheel 33 around the axis of the rotating shaft 32. The counting detection wheel 33 is provided with an upper limit rib 333, the upper limit rib is a first limit structure of the invention, and the upper limit rib 333 is arranged at the periphery of the axle center where the rotating shaft 32 is positioned; the stopper 34 is axially movable between a stop position and a release position, and the stopper 34 in the stop position is in a stop fit with the upper stop rib 333 in the rotational direction of the count detecting wheel 33. In addition, the counting detection wheel 33 is further provided with a lower limit rib 334, the lower limit rib 334 is a second limit structure of the present invention, and the lower limit rib 334 is used for being in abutting fit with the torsion spring. The tooth missing part 312, the limiting piece 34, the upper limiting rib 333, the lower limiting rib 334, the spring and the torsion spring are used for realizing automatic counting reset of the counting detection wheel 33.

Referring to fig. 7, the developing cartridge further includes a torsion spring 4. Referring to fig. 2 and 7, the cartridge body 1 of the developing cartridge further includes a second end cap 12 mounted at the second end 102, and the torsion spring 4 is mounted on the second end cap 12 and connected between the second end cap 12 and the count detecting wheel 33. The torsion spring 4 includes a central portion 40, and a first spring arm 41 and a second spring arm 42 extending outward from the central portion 40, the central portion 40 being fitted over a connecting post 121 of the second end cap 12, the connecting post 121 being located on the outer periphery of the count detecting wheel 33 in the projection in the longitudinal direction of the developing cartridge shown in fig. 7, the first spring arm 41 being fixed to the second end cap 12 at a fixed position, the second spring arm 42 extending to one side of the lower limit rib 334 and abutting against the lower limit rib 334.

After the new developing cartridge is mounted on the printer, the counting detecting member 3 is at the initial position, the stopper 34 is pressed by the inner side wall of the printer and retracted, the buckle of the stopper 34 moves downward and is positioned right behind the upper limit rib 333, the front end of the main boss 331 of the counting detecting wheel 33 abuts against the counting feeler lever of the printer, meanwhile, on the first end 101, the front end of the third tooth portion 311 of the counting gear 31 is in an engaged state with the stirring gear 23, and the torsion spring 4 is in a natural relaxed state.

After the printer is started up, the counting detection member 3 comprising the counting gear 31, the rotating shaft 32 and the counting detection wheel 33 rotates under the drive of the stirring gear 23, and the main boss 331 continuously abuts against the printer counting feeler lever; subsequently, the printer count feeler lever enters the first gap section between the main boss 331 and the sub boss 332, and the count detection wheel 33 releases the collision of the printer count feeler lever; the first secondary projection 332 then abuts the printer count feeler lever; then the printer counting feeler lever enters a second gap section between the two auxiliary protrusions 332, and the counter reset gear 1 releases the collision of the printer counting feeler lever; the second secondary projection 332 then abuts the printer count feeler lever; then, as the engagement between the third tooth 311 of the counter gear 31 and the stirring gear 23 is completed and the state of no engagement between the tooth 312 of the counter gear 31 and the stirring gear 23 is switched, the printer counter feeler lever enters the third gap section between the second auxiliary protrusion 332 and the main protrusion 331, the counter detection wheel 33 releases the collision of the printer counter feeler lever, and simultaneously, the lower limit rib 334 of the counter detection wheel 33 and the second elastic arm 42 of the torsion spring 4 are in a tension abutting state, and under the action force of the torsion spring 4, the counter detection wheel 33 rapidly continues to rotate forward by a certain angle until the upper limit rib 333 of the counter detection wheel 33 abuts against the buckle of the limit piece 34 to be forced to stop rotating and stop at the stop position, and at the moment, the front end of the main protrusion 331 of the counter detection wheel 33 also abuts against the printer counter feeler lever again, and the lower limit rib 334 of the counter detection wheel 33 and the torsion spring 4 are still in a tension abutting state. The printer has thus completed the count recognition job with the toner cartridge in a print job ready state.

When the developing cartridge is taken out from the printer or the drum frame, the limiting piece 34 is not extruded by external force and is outwards ejected under the restoring force of the spring 5, and the rotation limiting cooperation between the limiting piece and the upper limiting rib 333 is released, at the moment, the counting detection wheel 33 continuously rotates forwards by a certain angle under the acting force of the torsion spring 3, so that the front end of the third tooth part 311 of the counting gear 31 is meshed with the stirring gear 23 again, the main protrusion 331 of the counting detection wheel 33 also continuously abuts against the counting feeler lever of the printer, the upper limiting rib 333 and the buckle of the limiting piece 34 are misplaced, and the upper limiting rib 333 is positioned in front; when the toner cartridge is again loaded into the printer, the limiting piece 34 is again extruded by the inner side wall of the printer to shrink inwards, the buckle of the limiting piece 34 is folded inwards, the upper limiting rib 333 is positioned right in front of the buckle of the limiting piece 34, and the counting gear 31, the rotating shaft 32 and the counting detection wheel 33 return to the initial position state, so that the automatic resetting work of the counting detection member is completed.

The invention mainly aims to solve the problems of transmission precision and counting detection precision of the counting detection wheel 33. The invention adds the counting gear 31 and the rotating shaft 32, after the power is transmitted to the stirring gear 23 positioned at the first end 101, the power is not transmitted to the second end 102 by means of the stirring shaft, but the power is transmitted to the counting gear 31 at the first end 101, and then is transmitted to the counting detection wheel 33 positioned on the second end 102 by the rotating shaft 32. Because the rotating shaft 32 is not a stirring shaft, and does not need to cooperate with a stirring frame to mutually influence the carbon powder in the powder bin, more preferably, the rotating shaft 32 in the embodiment is integrally positioned outside the powder bin, so that the blockage of the carbon powder to the rotation of the rotating shaft 32 can be effectively solved, and more preferably, the rotating shaft 32 in the embodiment is arranged as a cross-shaped shaft to improve the torsion resistance of the cross-shaped shaft. Therefore, under this setting, through the mode that stirring gear 23, count gear 31, pivot 32 and count detection wheel 33 transmitted in proper order, can pass through first end 101 and second end 102 with power and avoid pivot 32 to bear great moment of torsion and influence the transmission precision, therefore can guarantee the degree of accuracy that count detection wheel 33 rotated the angle, and then guarantee count detection precision.

Of course, in other embodiments, the shaft may extend between the first and second ends through the cartridge. Because the stirring shaft forms larger torque, the stirring frame and the carbon powder have larger interaction force, and the stirring frame is not arranged on the rotating shaft, compared with the stirring shaft, even if the rotating shaft is arranged in the powder bin, the torque born by the carbon powder is much smaller, so that the transmission precision can be improved to a certain extent.

In addition, the elastic reset of the count detecting member is achieved by using a torsion spring provided between the second end cap and the count detecting wheel. Since the counting gear at the first end and the counting detection wheel at the second end rotate coaxially in the invention, in other embodiments, the torsion spring may be disposed between the first end cover at the first end of the box and the counting gear, and of course, a lower limit rib for cooperating with the second spring arm of the torsion spring is also disposed on the counting gear. This arrangement also enables automatic resetting of the count detecting means.

In other embodiments, only one of the counter gear and the counter detection wheel may be detachable from the spindle or the counter gear, spindle and counter detection wheel may be integrally formed.

In other embodiments, the coupler, idler, and counter gear are sequentially engaged, or the coupler, idler, additional drive gear, and counter gear are sequentially engaged. That is, the stirring gear is not included in the transmission structure from the coupling member to the counter gear.

In other embodiments, the coupler, the additional drive gear, and the counter gear are sequentially meshed, i.e., the idler gear and the agitator gear are not included in the drive structure from the coupler to the counter gear.

In other embodiments, the limiting member is movably mounted on the counting detection wheel along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, but no spring is disposed between the counting detection wheel and the limiting member. With this arrangement, the developer cartridge is initially removed from the printer by pulling up the stopper by a human hand to trigger the reset action of the count detection wheel.

In other embodiments, the developer cartridge is free of springs, torsion springs, and stoppers, and the counter gear is free of teeth missing portions. This arrangement requires a full reliance on manual reset of the count down detection wheel.

In addition, the present invention also claims a process cartridge including the developing cartridge of the present invention.

Finally, it should be emphasized that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the invention, and that various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention, and any such modifications, equivalents, improvements, etc. are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. A developing cartridge comprising a cartridge body and a count detecting member mounted on the cartridge body, wherein a powder bin is provided in the cartridge body, and the cartridge body comprises a first end and a second end which are oppositely arranged in a first direction;

the method is characterized in that:

the counting detection component comprises a counting gear, a rotating shaft and a counting detection wheel;

the counting gear is arranged at the first end, the counting detection wheel is arranged at the second end, the rotating shaft penetrates through the space between the first end and the second end along the first direction, and the counting gear and the counting detection wheel are respectively connected to the opposite ends of the rotating shaft.

2. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein:

the rotating shaft is arranged outside the powder bin.

3. The developing cartridge according to claim 2, wherein:

the box body is provided with a mounting concave position which is concaved on the surface of the box body, and at least one part of the rotating shaft is positioned in the mounting concave position.

4. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the counting gear and the counting detection wheel is detachably connected with the rotating shaft.

5. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein:

the developing cartridge includes a coupling member capable of receiving a driving force from a printer;

the connecting piece is connected to the box body and located at the first end, and the connecting piece is in transmission fit with the counting gear.

6. The developing cartridge according to claim 5, wherein:

the developing box also comprises a stirring frame and a stirring gear;

the stirring frame is arranged in the powder bin, the stirring gear is arranged at the first end, and the stirring gear is used for driving the stirring frame;

on the first end, the stirring gear is meshed with the counting gear.

7. The developing cartridge according to claim 6, wherein:

the stirring gear comprises a first tooth part and a second tooth part which are sequentially arranged along the axial direction of the stirring gear;

the developing cartridge further comprises an idler, and the coupling member is in transmission fit with the idler;

the first tooth portion is engaged with the idler gear, and the second tooth portion is engaged with the counter gear.

8. The developing cartridge according to claim 7, wherein:

the periphery of the counting gear is provided with a third tooth part and a tooth missing part which are sequentially arranged along the circumferential direction of the counting gear;

the third tooth portion is engaged with the second tooth portion.

9. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein:

the developing cartridge further includes a torsion spring;

the box body comprises a second end cover arranged at the second end, and the torsion spring is connected between the second end cover and the counting detection wheel; or, the box body comprises a first end cover arranged at the first end, and the torsion spring is connected between the first end cover and the counting gear.

10. A process cartridge comprising the developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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