EP0248682B1 - Bilderzeugungsgerät - Google Patents

Bilderzeugungsgerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0248682B1
EP0248682B1 EP87305019A EP87305019A EP0248682B1 EP 0248682 B1 EP0248682 B1 EP 0248682B1 EP 87305019 A EP87305019 A EP 87305019A EP 87305019 A EP87305019 A EP 87305019A EP 0248682 B1 EP0248682 B1 EP 0248682B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
unit
waste toner
image forming
forming apparatus
feeder
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP87305019A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0248682A2 (de
EP0248682A3 (en
Inventor
Itsuro Katoh
Shoichiro Yoshiura
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.)
Sharp Corp
Original Assignee
Sharp Corp
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sharp Corp filed Critical Sharp Corp
Publication of EP0248682A2 publication Critical patent/EP0248682A2/de
Publication of EP0248682A3 publication Critical patent/EP0248682A3/en
Priority claimed from IN98MA1991 external-priority patent/IN172505B/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0248682B1 publication Critical patent/EP0248682B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • G03G21/10—Collecting or recycling waste developer
    • G03G21/12—Toner waste containers
    • 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
    • G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
    • G03G21/1604—Arrangement or disposition of the entire apparatus
    • G03G21/1623—Means to access the interior of the apparatus
    • G03G21/1633—Means to access the interior of the apparatus using doors or covers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
    • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
    • G03G2221/1618—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for the cleaning unit
    • G03G2221/1621—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for the cleaning unit re-use of cleaned toner
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
    • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
    • G03G2221/163—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for the developer unit
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
    • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
    • G03G2221/1651—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for connecting the different parts
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
    • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
    • G03G2221/1663—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts having lifetime indicators
    • G03G2221/1666—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts having lifetime indicators integer lifetimes of each other

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an image formation apparatus which includes a development means for developing electrostatic latent images formed on an image carrier and a mechanism to recover waste toner.
  • an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive image carrier and this latent image is developed by a developer.
  • the toner used for this developing method has generally been black. Recently, however, there has been an increase in the use of mono-color developing where red, blue and other toners can be selected by changing over a developing unit for installation in the main body of the equipment. However, a compact image forming unit including a developing system has not been produced.
  • JP-A-60-143360 discloses a process kit for an image forming device, the process kit being divided into first and second kits which lock together and which are attached to and detached from the device main body whilst so united.
  • Each kit includes consumption members which have corresponding lives; for example one kit includes a developing device and a cleaner, while the other kit includes an image carrier.
  • the present invention aims to allow the size of a unit which includes the developing equipment to be reduced irrespective of the life of the image carrier by configuring the image forming apparatus with a first unit including an image carrier and a second unit including a developer and waste toner recovery container.
  • the intention of the present invention is to provide for easy replacement of the developing unit and discarding of the waste toner by just replacing said second unit including the developer.
  • an image forming apparatus comprising:
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of an electrophotographic copying machine in accordance with the present invention
  • Fig. 2 is a general perspective view of a second unit which includes a development means
  • Fig. 3 is a general perspective view of a first unit which includes a photosensitive image carrier
  • Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the copying machine with no second unit installed
  • Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the copying machine with the second unit installed.
  • a drum-shaped photosensitive device 2 for carrying a copy image is mounted at the approximate centre of the copying machine 1.
  • the photosensitive device 2 is mounted for rotation by a drive mechanism, not shown.
  • a charger 3, a light focuser/transmitter 4, a development means 5, a transfer station 6, and a cleaner 7 are arranged in succession in the rotating direction of the photosensitive device for formation of a copy image.
  • charger 3 and cleaner 7 are held in a common case to configure a first unit 8.
  • This first unit 8 is held by a guide supporter, not shown, provided on the main body of the copying machine and can be easily detached or remounted by the operator by using a mounting handle provided on the unit.
  • An original support 9 which is used to set the original and expose it with the exposure light source 10 is movably mounted on the copying machine 1.
  • This original support 9 is scanned in the lateral direction by a drive unit, not shown.
  • the optical image obtained by the irradiation of the original with the exposure light source 10 is projected onto the photoconductive layer on the surface of the photosensitive device 2 by the light focuser/transmitter 4.
  • An electrostatic latent image is thereby formed on the photosensitive device 2 corresponding to the image of the original and this latent image is visualised by the development means 5, which is in a second unit 15.
  • a cleaner 7 is provided.
  • This cleaner 7 comprises an elastic cleaning blade 70 pushed into contact with the surface of the photosensitive device 2 to scrape off the remaining toner.
  • the toner scraped off with the cleaning blade 70 is received by a waste toner receiver 7a positioned under the cleaning blade. At the position of this waste toner receiver 7a there is provided a rotatable waste toner feeder 7b.
  • the waste toner feeder 7b carries the toner which has dropped to the waste toner receiver 7a in the direction of the rotating axis of the photosensitive device to one side of the first unit. On this one side there is provided a feeder 7c which cooperates with the feeder 7b to carry the toner fed by the latter in a new carrying direction which, as can be seen from Fig. 3, makes a right angle to the previous carrying direction.
  • This feeder 7c faces a waste toner recovery container 56 which is provided in the second unit with the development means 5, described more fully later. More particularly, the outlet port provided in the feeder 7c and the opening of the waste toner recover container 56 are positioned to face each other.
  • the transfer paper which has been sent to the transfer station position is separated from the surface of the drum of the photosensitive device 2 by a separator 11 after the transfer of the image, and is then sent along a feeding guide 12 to an overheat fixer 13.
  • the fixer 13 the toner powder image on the transfer paper is fixed by heat and pressure and the transfer paper is discharged after fixing to the paper discharger 14.
  • Fig. 2 is a general perspective view of the second unit 15 consisting of the development means 5 and the waste toner recovery container 56.
  • a cover 51 over the developing opening is moved so as to expose a magnetic brush of the toner formed on a developing sleeve; the second unit is mounted to its mounting position in the main body of the copying machine by the operator holding the second unit mounting handle 52.
  • Numeral 54 indicates a positioning boss to be locked to a positioning hole 8a provided on the side of the first unit 8 and numeral 53 indicates a locking claw for holding the development means 5 when it is installed to the main body of the copying machine.
  • a marking 55 indicates the color of the toner in the case of mono-color copying and can be seen through an indicating window 1b formed in the front cabinet wall 1a.
  • Numeral 56 indicates a container held in the second unit with the development means 5 for recovering waste toner which is carried from the first unit. Thus, the container 56 and development means 5 are replaced at the same time.
  • Numeral 57 is a cover for a waste toner receiving port, this cover 57 being opened in the direction of the arrow when the second unit is mounted. The cover 57 prevents the waste toner from overflowing when the second unit is detached. It is designed so that, when the above-described cover 57 is opened, the waste toner receiving port becomes coincident with the discharge port of the feeder 7c of the first unit.
  • Fig. 3 is a general perspective view of the first unit 8 to be demounted from, or remounted to the main body of the copying machine.
  • the first unit 8 includes in a common case a photosensitive drum and a cleaner 7 to remove toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum.
  • the waste toner removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 by the cleaner 7 is carried to the one side of the first unit by the feeder 7b, and then discharged from the discharge port by the feeder 7c.
  • This feeder 7c is provided with a cover 7d which moves in the direction of the arrow to open or close the discharge port.
  • the cover 7d is opened thereby opening the discharge port.
  • the discharge port of the feeder 7c is provided so as to be coincident with the waste toner receiving port of the waste toner recovery container 56 of the second unit.
  • the second unit cannot be installed unless the first unit 8 is installed to the main body of the copying machine.
  • a guide for the second unit is configured.
  • the first unit 8 is provided with a guide 8b as shown in Fig. 3.
  • This guide 8b provided on the first unit 8 not only guides the second unit, but also serves together with the positioning boss 54 provided in the second unit, to position the developing magnetic brush precisely relative to the photosensitive surface of the drum.
  • Fig. 4 shows the copying machine in its condition with the said first unit mounted.
  • the mounting procedure for the second unit is described below.
  • the first unit 8 is mounted to the main body of the copying machine 1.
  • the second unit is inserted to the main body of the copying machine with its bottom part advancing along the guide 1c formed by a part of the frame of the main body of the copying machine.
  • the second unit is led inwardly by the guide 8b provided in the first unit 8 and becomes connected to the image unit driver, not shown, in the inner part of the main body of the copying machine.
  • the positioning boss 54 of the second unit is fitted to the positioning hole 8a of the first unit 8.
  • the locking claw 53 provided on the second unit is hitched to the catch 1d of the guide 1c of the frame of the main body of the copying machine.
  • Fig. 5 shows the condition where the second unit is installed.
  • the second unit is properly positioned relative to the first unit 8, and, while the main body of the copying machine is working, the toner remaining on the photosensitive device 2 is carried by each feeder and recovered to the recovery container 56 held in the second unit.
  • the life of the second unit including the development means 5 has expired, for instance, when the fresh toner supply of the development means 5 has been exhausted, only the second unit needs to be replaced. Therefore it is not necessary to increase the volume of the second unit including the development means 5 to match the life of the photosensitive device 2 in the first unit 8. Therefore, the second unit need not correspond in lifetime to the first unit and can be small.
  • the recovery container 56 has no relation with the first unit 8 either and therefore its size can be freely determined. It is advisable to determine the size of the waste toner recovery container 56 based on the capacity of the fresh toner supply in the development means 5. For instance, the capacity may be determined so that this fresh toner supply of the development means 5 of the second unit is exhausted and the second unit needs to be replaced before the life of the photosensitive device 2 has expired and so that the waste toner recovery container becomes almost filled with waste toner when the second unit needs to be replaced. In other words, the size of the recovery container 56 may be determined so that the recovery container 56 is almost filled with waste toner when the first unit is replaced. Therefore, the service life does not have to be considered when the second and first unit are replaced. Especially, the first unit can be designed freely and can be small.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Cleaning In Electrography (AREA)
  • Electrophotography Configuration And Component (AREA)

Claims (11)

  1. Bilderzeugungsgerät mit:
    (a) einer ersten Einheit (8) mit einem Bildträger (2) und einem Reinigungssystem (7) zum Entfernen von Toner vom Bildträger,
    (b) einer zweiten Einheit (15) mit einer Entwicklungseinrichtung (5) zum Entwickeln eines latenten elektrostatischen Bildes auf dem Bildträger, welche erste Einheit und zweite Einheit so am Aufbau des Geräts angebracht sind, daß eine Bedienperson sie einfach davon abnehmen oder wieder daran anbringen kann, und
    (c) einem Förderer (7b, 7c) zum Fördern von Toner vom Reinigungssystem (7) zu einem Rückgewinnungsbehälter (56) für verbrauchten Toner in der zweiten Einheit (15).
  2. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach Anspruch 1 , bei dem der Förderer eine sich drehende Fördereinrichtung (7b) aufweist, die zunächst den verbrauchten Toner innerhalb der ersten Einheit (8) zu einem Ende derselben in einer Richtung parallel zur Drehachse einer photoempfindlichen Walze fördert, die den Bildträger darstellt.
  3. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach Anspruch 2, bei dem der Förderer eine weitere Fördereinrichtung (7c) aufweist, die den verbrauchten Toner, der am genannten Ende der ersten Einheit ankommt, rechtwinklig zur Tonerförderrichtung der sich drehenden Fördereinrichtung zum Rückgewinnungsbehälter (56) für verbrauchten Toner fördert.
  4. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, bei dem der Förderer den verbrauchten Toner zu einer Öffnung des Rückgewinnungsbehälters (56) für verbrauchten Toner fördert.
  5. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die erste Einheit und die zweite Einheit (8, 15) so ausgebildet sind, daß die erste Einheit im Aufbau des Bilderzeugungsgeräts angeordnet werden muß, bevor die zweite Einheit im Aufbau des Bilderzeugungsgeräts angeordnet werden kann.
  6. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach Anspruch 5, bei dem die erste Einheit eine Führungseinrichtung (8a, 8b) aufweist, durch die die zweite Einrichtung (15) im Aufbau des Bilderzeugungsgeräts positioniert wird.
  7. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem das Aufnahmevermögen des Rückgewinnungsbehälters (56) für verbrauchten Toner so gewählt ist, daß ein Auswechseln mit Ablauf seiner Standzeit unabhängig vom Auswechseln des Bildträgers, nach Ablauf der Standzeit des Bildträgers, ermöglicht ist.
  8. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, bei dem das Aufnahmevermögen einer Zufuhr für frischen Toner in der Entwicklungseinrichtung (5) so gewählt ist, daß ein Auswechseln nach dem Ablauf ihrer Standzeit unabhängig vom Auswechseln des Bildträgers, nach Ablauf der Standzeit des Bildträgers, ermöglicht ist.
  9. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem das Aufnahmevermögen des Rückgewinnungsbehälters (56) für verbrauchten Toner im wesentlichen dem Volumen verbrauchten Toners entspricht, wie es von der ersten Einheit während der Standzeit der Zufuhr für frischen Toner' in der Entwicklungseinrichtung (5) zugeführt wird, so daß der Rückgewinnungsbehälter (56) für verbrauchten Toner im wesentlichen gefüllt ist, wenn die Zufuhr für frischen Toner erschöpft ist.
  10. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der Rückgewinnungsbehälter für verbrauchten Toner eine Aufnahmeöffnung für verbrauchten Toner aufweist, die so ausgebildet ist, daß sie durch einen Deckel (57) automatisch verschlossen wird, wenn die zweite Einheit vom Aufbau des Geräts abgenommen wird, und automatisch geöffnet wird, wenn die zweite Einheit am Aufbau angebracht wird.
  11. Bilderzeugungsgerät nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der Förderer in der ersten Einheit angeordnet ist und eine Entladeöffnung für verbrauchten Toner und einen Deckel (7d) aufweist, der so ausgebildet ist, daß er die Öffnung automatisch schließt, wenn die zweite Einheit vom Aufbau des Geräts abgenommen wird, und so ausgebildet ist, daß er die Öffnung schließt, wenn die zweite Einheit am Aufbau angebracht wird, um dadurch eine Verbindung zwischen dem Förderer (7c) und dem Rückgewinnungsbehälter (56) für verbrauchten Toner herzustellen.
EP87305019A 1986-06-06 1987-06-05 Bilderzeugungsgerät Expired - Lifetime EP0248682B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP132091/86 1986-06-06
JP61132091A JPS62287279A (ja) 1986-06-06 1986-06-06 画像形成装置
IN98MA1991 IN172505B (de) 1986-06-06 1991-02-07

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0248682A2 EP0248682A2 (de) 1987-12-09
EP0248682A3 EP0248682A3 (en) 1988-11-17
EP0248682B1 true EP0248682B1 (de) 1991-05-29

Family

ID=26324747

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP87305019A Expired - Lifetime EP0248682B1 (de) 1986-06-06 1987-06-05 Bilderzeugungsgerät

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0248682B1 (de)
JP (1) JPS62287279A (de)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6314187A (ja) * 1986-07-04 1988-01-21 Sharp Corp 現像剤回収装置
US5028966A (en) * 1988-11-10 1991-07-02 Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. Image-forming machine
JPH03174549A (ja) * 1989-12-04 1991-07-29 Ricoh Co Ltd 電子写真記録装置
JP2827137B2 (ja) * 1989-12-05 1998-11-18 株式会社リコー クリーナ・トナー・マガジン及び電子写真式記録装置
DE69415049T2 (de) * 1993-01-26 1999-06-24 Sharp K.K., Osaka Bilderzeugungsgerät
JP3663542B2 (ja) 2002-01-23 2005-06-22 京セラ株式会社 画像形成機のトナー供給容器
KR101524065B1 (ko) 2008-04-30 2015-06-01 삼성전자주식회사 화상형성장치

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4591258A (en) * 1981-12-22 1986-05-27 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Safety means for process kit
US4588280A (en) * 1982-08-17 1986-05-13 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus and process unit detachably mountable thereto
US4571071A (en) * 1984-04-13 1986-02-18 Eastman Kodak Company Cleaning apparatus and method for a polychromatic electrophotographic copier
JPS617865A (ja) * 1984-06-22 1986-01-14 Sharp Corp 画像形成装置
US4547064A (en) * 1984-08-31 1985-10-15 Xerox Corporation Electrostatographic reproducing apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0248682A2 (de) 1987-12-09
JPS62287279A (ja) 1987-12-14
EP0248682A3 (en) 1988-11-17

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