CN117492343A

CN117492343A - Developing box

Info

Publication number: CN117492343A
Application number: CN202311728227.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 吕金波; 黎清剑; 唐良春
Original assignee: Zhuhai Yuancheng Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Zhuhai Yuancheng Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2023-12-15
Filing date: 2023-12-15
Publication date: 2024-02-02

Abstract

The invention relates to a developing cartridge, which comprises a shell, an end cover, a transmission assembly and a counting mechanism, wherein the transmission assembly and the counting mechanism are arranged at the end part of the shell, the transmission assembly receives driving force from imaging equipment and drives the counting mechanism to work, and the transmission assembly comprises a gear. The counting mechanism comprises a counting deflector rod, a counting bulge and an elastic piece. The counting deflector rod is used for triggering a detection piece in the imaging equipment and is provided with a non-cylindrical rotating shaft. The counting bulge is arranged at the side part of the gear and can push the counting deflector rod to rotate around the rotating shaft. The elastic piece is used for exerting acting force on the counting deflector rod. The end cover is provided with a track, the track is provided with a first position and a second position, and when the rotating shaft of the counting deflector rod is positioned at the first position, the counting deflector rod can rotate around the rotating shaft under the pushing of the counting protrusion. After the rotating shaft rotates to a specific angle, the counting deflector rod can translate from the first position to the second position under the action of the elastic piece. When the rotating shaft is positioned at the first position and the counting deflector rod is in an initial state or when the rotating shaft is positioned at the second position and the counting deflector rod is in a final state, the counting deflector rod can contact a detection piece in the imaging equipment; when the counting deflector rod rotates or translates, the counting deflector rod is separated from a detection piece of the imaging device. The developing cartridge of the present invention provides an alternative to the counting mechanisms of the prior art.

Description

Developing box

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a developing cartridge. And more particularly, to a developing cartridge detachably mountable to a laser image forming apparatus.

Background

The developing cartridge is an indispensable printing consumable in a laser image forming apparatus. After the laser imaging device works for a period of time, the carbon powder filled in the developing box is consumed, and then a new developing box needs to be replaced.

For some types of developing cartridges, manufacturers often provide a counting mechanism on the developing cartridge that can be used in conjunction with a detection mechanism (sensor) on the image forming apparatus to indicate to the image forming apparatus whether the developing cartridge is mounted or can identify the specifications of the developing cartridge. The counting mechanism needs to contact or touch the detection mechanism on the image forming apparatus at a specific timing.

Chinese patent document CN104487903a discloses a developing cartridge and an image forming apparatus, the developing cartridge including a rotatable detected member including a toothed portion and a tooth-missing portion, the tooth-missing portion having a first detected portion. The image forming apparatus has a first detecting member therein, and the image forming apparatus judges, based on a detection result of rotation of the first detecting member, whether the developing cartridge is mounted or dismounted with respect to the image forming apparatus and whether the mounted developing cartridge is matched.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing cartridge whose counting mechanism contacts a detecting member of an image forming apparatus at a specific timing, providing an alternative counting scheme.

In order to achieve the above object, the developing cartridge of the present invention includes a housing, an end cap, and a transmission assembly and a counting mechanism provided at an end of the housing, the transmission assembly receiving a driving force from an image forming apparatus and driving the counting mechanism to operate, the transmission assembly including a gear. The counting mechanism comprises a counting deflector rod, a counting bulge and an elastic piece. The counting deflector rod is used for triggering a detection piece in the imaging equipment and is provided with a non-cylindrical rotating shaft. The counting protrusion is arranged at the side part of the gear and can push the counting deflector rod to rotate around the rotating shaft. The elastic piece is used for applying acting force to the counting deflector rod. The end cover is provided with a track, the track is provided with a first position and a second position, and when the rotating shaft of the counting deflector rod is positioned at the first position, the counting deflector rod can rotate around the rotating shaft under the pushing of the counting protrusion. After the rotating shaft rotates to a specific angle, the counting deflector rod can translate from a first position to a second position under the action of the elastic piece. The counting driving lever can contact a detection piece in the imaging equipment when the rotating shaft is positioned at the first position and the counting driving lever is in an initial state or when the rotating shaft is positioned at the second position and the counting driving lever is in a final state; when the counting shift lever rotates or translates, the counting shift lever is separated from a detecting member of the imaging device.

The counting deflector rod of the developing box can contact the detection piece of the imaging device according to a specific time sequence, so that the imaging device can conveniently judge whether the developing box is loaded and whether the types of the loaded developing boxes are matched, and an alternative scheme is provided for the counting mechanism in the prior art.

According to one embodiment, the gear is mounted at an axial end of the agitator frame of the developing cartridge.

According to one embodiment, the elastic piece is a tension spring, one end of the tension spring is connected with the counting deflector rod, and the other end of the tension spring is connected with the end cover.

According to one embodiment, the count lever includes a first end and a second end, the count protrusion being capable of contacting the first end when the gear is rotated; when the rotating shaft is positioned at the first position or the second position, the second end can contact a detection piece in the imaging equipment.

According to one embodiment, the track has a through-going portion connecting the first position and the second position, the through-going portion being dimensioned such that the spindle is able to pass from the first position through the through-going portion into the second position when the spindle of the counter lever is rotated to a specific angle.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a developing cartridge of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial exploded view of the developing cartridge shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 3a and 3b are perspective views of a counting lever of the counting mechanism of the developing cartridge shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a stirring frame gear of the developing cartridge of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a positional relationship diagram of the rack gear and the counter lever shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an end cap of the developing cartridge shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the track on the end cap shown in fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an initial state of the count-up lever on the end cap.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the position of the spindle of the count-bar in an initial state within the track of the end cap.

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of the position of the spindle of the count-bar after forward rotation within the track of the end cap.

FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of the position of the spindle of the count-bar after translation within the track of the end cap.

FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of the position of the counter-rotating shaft of the count-bar after counter-rotation within the track of the end cap.

Description of the embodiments

The structure and other aspects of the developing cartridge of the present invention will be described in further detail hereinafter by way of specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the developing cartridge of the present invention includes a casing 1, an end cap 2, a transmission assembly 3, and a counting mechanism 4. The casing 1 has an inner cavity for accommodating developer and a side wall 11, and rotatable members such as a developing roller, a stirring frame, and the like are rotatably mounted on the casing 1. The end cap 2 is mounted on a side wall 11 of the housing and the drive assembly 3 is mounted on the side wall 11 of the housing between the side wall 11 and the end cap 2. To increase the strength of the side wall 11, a bracket 12 is mounted on the side wall 11, and all or a portion of the transmission assembly 3 may be mounted on the bracket 12. The developing cartridge of the present invention can be detachably mounted into an image forming apparatus. The imaging device has a detecting member therein. The detecting member judges whether the developing cartridge has been loaded and whether the type of the loaded developing cartridge matches by detecting the movement of the counting mechanism.

In a specific embodiment, the transmission assembly 3 includes a coupling member 31, a developing roller gear 32, and a stirring frame gear 33, the coupling member 31 for receiving a driving force from the image forming apparatus, the coupling member 31 having a power receiving port and gears coaxially disposed. The developing roller gear 32 is mounted at the shaft end of the developing roller, and the agitator gear 33 is mounted at the shaft end of the agitator. The developing roller gear 32 or the agitator gear 33 directly or indirectly meshes with the gear of the coupling member 31 to receive the driving force from the image forming apparatus.

The developing cartridge of the present invention further includes a counting mechanism 4, and the counting mechanism 4 is used to trigger or touch a detecting member in the image forming apparatus so that the image forming apparatus can detect whether the developing cartridge has been loaded and whether the type of the loaded developing cartridge matches. The counting mechanism 4 further includes a counting lever 41, an elastic member 42, and a counting protrusion 43, wherein the counting lever 41 is used to trigger or touch a detecting member in the image forming apparatus, the counting protrusion 43 is used to push the counting lever 41 to rotate, and the elastic member 42 is used to apply a pulling force to the counting lever 41. One end of the elastic member 42 is connected to the count dial 41, and the other end is connected to the end cap 2. In this embodiment, the elastic member 42 is a tension spring, and can apply a tensile force to the count-up lever 41.

The structure and the movement process of the count dial 41 will be described in detail hereinafter.

As shown in fig. 3a and 3b, the count-up lever 41 further includes a body 411 and a rotating shaft 412 located at one side of the body, and the rotating shaft 412 extends from the body 411 toward the end cover 2. The count dial 41 is rotatable about a rotation axis 412. The shaft 412 is non-cylindrical, e.g., the shaft 412 is elliptical or rectangular in cross-section. In this embodiment, in order to facilitate the explanation of the movement process of the count-up lever 41, the cross section of the rotation shaft 412 is Y-shaped. The body 411 has a first end 413 and a second end 414, and the first end 413 and the second end 414 are located at two sides of the rotating shaft 412. The second end 414 can touch or trigger a detection member within the imaging device. The count dial 41 also includes a post 416, the post 416 being disposed on the other side of the body 411 relative to the shaft 412. One end of the tension spring 42 is attached to the post 416.

As shown in fig. 4 and 5, the counting protrusion 43 is provided on the side of the agitator frame gear 33, and extends from the side of the agitator frame gear 33 toward the end cap 2. The number and shape of the counting protrusions 43 are set according to a specific timing, which depends on the timing set by the image forming apparatus for different models of developing cartridges. In this embodiment, the counting protrusion 43 has a circular arc shape. When the agitator gear 33 rotates, the counting protrusion 43 contacts the side 417 of the first end 413 of the body 411 and pushes the counting lever 41 to rotate around the rotation shaft 412. When the count dial 41 is rotated, the second end 414 of the body 411 of the count dial 41 is separated from the detecting member of the image forming apparatus at a specific timing so that the image forming apparatus detects whether the loaded developing cartridge and the type of the loaded developing cartridge match.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, in one embodiment, the end cap 2 has a rail 21, the rail 21 being disposed on an inner sidewall of the end cap 2. The opening of the track 21 is directed towards the transmission assembly 3. The rail 21 has a first position 211, a second position 212, and a through portion 213 connecting the first position 211 and the second position 212. The through portion 213 is sized such that the rotation shaft 412 can pass through the through portion 213 from the first position 211 to the second position 212 when the rotation shaft 412 of the count-up lever 41 is rotated to a certain angle. The first position 211 and the second position 212 are circular in shape, facilitating rotation of the shaft 412 within either the first position 211 or the second position 212.

As shown in fig. 8 and 9, when the developing cartridge is assembled, the rotation shaft 412 of the count-up lever 41 is located at the first position 211, and the count-up lever 41 is in an initial state. The developer cartridge is mounted within the image forming apparatus and the second end 414 of the count lever 41 contacts a detecting member in the image forming apparatus. When the agitator gear 33 rotates, the counter protrusion 43 on the agitator gear 33 contacts the side 417 of the first end 43 of the counter lever, and the counter lever 41 can be rotated forward (clockwise) about the rotation shaft 412 located in the first position 211 by the urging of the counter protrusion 43, as indicated by the arrow in fig. 9. When the count dial 41 is rotated, the second end 414 of the count dial 41 is separated from the detecting member of the image forming apparatus. When the rotation shaft 412 rotates to a specific angle, since the rotation shaft 412 is a non-cylindrical rotation shaft, the count dial 41 is pulled by the elastic member 42, and the rotation shaft 412 translates into the second position 212 through the through portion 413, as indicated by the arrow in fig. 10.

After the rotation shaft 412 enters the second position 212, the count dial 41 is still under the tensile force of the elastic member 42, and the count dial 41 rotates reversely (anticlockwise) around the rotation shaft 412 located in the second position 212 under the action of the elastic member 42, as indicated by an arrow in fig. 11. The shaft 412 rotates to the final state shown in fig. 12. When the rotating shaft 412 is located in the second position 212 and the count dial 41 is in the final state, the count dial 41 remains stationary, and the second end 414 of the count dial 41 contacts the detecting member of the imaging apparatus again, at which point the counting process is completed.

When the developing cartridge is taken out of the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus can determine that the developing cartridge is taken out by separating the count dial 41 from the detecting member.

The above embodiments are merely for illustrating the spirit and scope of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Modifications, equivalent substitutions and other improvements to the embodiments described above which are obvious to those skilled in the art are also within the spirit of the present invention. The scope and spirit of the invention are defined in particular by the claims.

Claims

1. A developing cartridge comprising a casing, an end cap, and a transmission assembly and a counting mechanism provided at an end of the casing, the transmission assembly receiving a driving force from an image forming apparatus and driving the counting mechanism to operate, the transmission assembly comprising a gear, characterized in that the counting mechanism comprises:

the counting deflector rod is used for triggering a detection piece in the imaging equipment and is provided with a non-cylindrical rotating shaft;

the counting bulge is arranged at the side part of the gear, and can push the counting deflector rod to rotate around the rotating shaft; and

the elastic piece is used for applying acting force to the counting deflector rod;

the end cover is provided with a track, the track is provided with a first position and a second position, and when the rotating shaft of the counting deflector rod is positioned at the first position, the counting deflector rod can rotate around the rotating shaft under the pushing of the counting protrusion;

after the rotating shaft rotates to a specific angle, the counting deflector rod can translate from a first position to a second position under the action of the elastic piece;

the counting driving lever can contact a detection piece in the imaging equipment when the rotating shaft is positioned at the first position and the counting driving lever is in an initial state or when the rotating shaft is positioned at the second position and the counting driving lever is in a final state; when the counting deflector rod rotates or translates, the counting deflector rod is separated from a detection piece of the imaging device.

2. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the gear is mounted at an axial end of a stirring frame of the developing cartridge.

3. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a tension spring, one end of which is connected to the count lever, and the other end of which is connected to the end cap.

4. The developer cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the count lever includes a first end and a second end, the count projection being capable of contacting the first end when the gear rotates;

the second end is capable of contacting a detection member in the imaging device when the shaft is in the first position or in the second position.

5. A developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said rail has a through portion connecting the first position and the second position, said through portion being sized so that the rotation shaft can enter the second position from the first position through the through portion when the rotation shaft of said count-up lever is rotated to a certain angle.