EP0448039A2 - Elektrografisches Bilderzeugungsgerät - Google Patents

Elektrografisches Bilderzeugungsgerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0448039A2
EP0448039A2 EP91104237A EP91104237A EP0448039A2 EP 0448039 A2 EP0448039 A2 EP 0448039A2 EP 91104237 A EP91104237 A EP 91104237A EP 91104237 A EP91104237 A EP 91104237A EP 0448039 A2 EP0448039 A2 EP 0448039A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
developer
toner
image forming
developer unit
forming apparatus
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP91104237A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0448039B1 (de
EP0448039A3 (en
Inventor
Yoshiyuki Fujiwara
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.)
Kyocera Mita Industrial Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Mita Industrial Co Ltd
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 Mita Industrial Co Ltd filed Critical Mita Industrial Co Ltd
Publication of EP0448039A2 publication Critical patent/EP0448039A2/de
Publication of EP0448039A3 publication Critical patent/EP0448039A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0448039B1 publication Critical patent/EP0448039B1/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
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0896—Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/01—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for producing multicoloured copies
    • G03G15/0105—Details of unit
    • G03G15/0126—Details of unit using a solid developer
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0848—Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability
    • G03G15/0849—Detection or control means for the developer concentration

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrographic copying machine and a printer, etc. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus With a toner density controller.
  • electrographic copying machines have been used in which a latent image formed on the photoreceptor is developed by using plural different colors of toner as well as one color of toner.
  • a main developer unit and a sub developer unit are arranged with respect to the periphery of the photoreceptor drum, and these developer units are selectively activated.
  • a toner density controlling mechanism is provided in electrographic copying machines to maintain the toner density at a fixed level.
  • a toner density sensor is provided on each developer unit, and the toner density detected by the toner density sensor is compared with the predetermined toner density by a microcomputer. Then, by controlling the toner supply with a toner supply roller in response to the control signal outputted according to the above comparison, toner density is maintained at an appropriate fixed level.
  • the initial value is used as the reference value. The difference between the detected toner density and the reference value is calculated to control toner supply.
  • the initial value is the ratio T/D of toner to carrier in the initial condition
  • the detected toner density is also the ratio of toner to carrier.
  • Correction data for the output of the toner density sensor are prepared in consideration of the influence of a magnet roller in a developer shell of the developer unit since it is affected by the magnet roller. In a case where the initial value of each of main and sub developer units attached to the copying machine is detected and a copying operation is performed after detaching one of the developer units, the correction, which is based on the data, is not accurately performed since the toner density sensor of the other developer unit is not affected by the magnet roller of the above detached developer unit.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the output of the toner density sensor of a developer unit is not varied according to the number of the developer units attached to the copying machine and thereby, the toner density control is correctly performed.
  • an image forming apparatus comprises: a photoreceptor; plural developer units for giving toner alternatively to said photoreceptor to develop a latent image formed on said photoreceptor, comprising a developer shell and a toner density sensor, respectively, and which are attachable and detachable with respect to the periphery of said photoreceptor; toner supplier for supplying toner to said developer units according to the output of said toner density sensor; detection means for detecting whether said developer units are attached with respect to the periphery of said photoreceptor; and control means for so controlling the image forming operation as to be performed only when a predetermined plural number of developer units are attached.
  • control means in the image forming apparatus of the present invention have a function to control the initial setting of the developer in each developer unit so that the setting is performed only when a predetermined plural number of developer units are attached to the image forming apparatus body in the simulation mode.
  • Fig. 1 the image of an original 6 placed on a contact glass 4, pressed by an original cover 5, is scanned by a scan optical system 7.
  • the image information is transmitted on light via condenser lens 8 to a light receiving element 9 such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device).
  • a light receiving element 9 such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device).
  • CCD Charge Coupled Device
  • the image information is formed into a latent image on a photoreceptor drum 1 by a laser scanner unit 11.
  • the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 is charged by a main charger 100.
  • the latent image on the photoreceptor drum 1 is developed by a main developer unit 2 or a sub developer unit 3 and is transferred to a paper at transfer position 13.
  • Fig. 1, 14 is a bypass table for feeding paper
  • 15 is an upper paper feed cassette
  • 16 is a lower paper feed cassette
  • 17 and 18 are paper feed rollers
  • 19 is a conveying roller
  • 20 is a resisting roller
  • 21 is a transferring charger
  • 22 is a separating charger.
  • the paper to which an image on the drum 1 is transferred is conveyed to a fixing unit 24 by a conveying belt 23. After fixed at the fixing unit 24, the paper is discharged on a discharge tray 26 through discharge rollers 25.
  • the paper fixed at the fixing unit 24 can be led to a middle tray 28 through reverser 27 to be ready for the re-transferring of the image on the drum 1.
  • the main developer unit 2 contains black toner to form black images.
  • the sub developer unit 3 contains toner of another color to form images of another color.
  • the developer units 2 and 3 can separately be attached to or detached from a copying machine body.
  • Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the details of the developer units 2 and 3.
  • the structure of only main developer unit 2 is described since the main developer unit 2 and the sub developer unit 3 have the same structure and they are different only in that they contain different colors of toner and that the sub developer unit 3 is smaller than the main developer unit 2.
  • a developer 33 consisting of toner and carrier is supplied to the developer shell 30 after stirred by a paddle 32 that rotates on the axis parallel to that of the developer shell 30 and on which fins 31 are radially provided.
  • the developer shell 30 is attached on the periphery of the magnet roller 34, and the toner on the developer shell 30 is provided to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 through the developer shell 30.
  • the toner density of the developer 33 is detected by the toner density sensor 35, and the detected value and a predetermined reference value are compared at a control section 40 that comprises a microcomputer shown in Fig. 3.
  • the control section 40 operates based on the program stored in a ROM42.
  • the control section 40 A/D (analog-to-digital) -converts the toner density detection signal generated by the toner density sensor 35 of the main developer unit 2, and after comparing the detected value with the reference value pre-memorised in RAM43, outputs a control signal.
  • the control section 40 controls the toner supply roller driving motor so that the toner supply decreases, and when the detection value is smaller than the reference value, it controls the toner supply roller driving motor so that the toner supply increases.
  • control section 40 controls the toner supply in the same manner to maintain the toner density of the sub developer unit 3 at a fixed level.
  • control section 40 performs the above-described toner density control operation, the copying operation and an initial setting of developer.
  • the control section 40 does not perform the above operations. Therefore, it is necessary to detect whether the developer units 2 and 3 are attached or not. The detection is performed as hereinafter described.
  • the main developer unit 2 is judged to be attached when the toner density sensor 35 outputs voltage data of 0V to 5V.
  • the toner density sensor 35 does not output voltage data of nearly 0V since the main developer unit 2 contains approximately 1kg of developer and never becomes vacant. If it should become nearly vacant, the voltage of, for example, 2V or 3V is normally outputted.
  • whether the sub developer unit 3 is attached or not is judged by using the output of a dip switch 47 instead of that of the toner density sensor 37. Since the entire body of the sub developer unit 3 is smaller than that of the main developer unit 2 and, normally, only approximately 200g of developer is contained in the sub developer unit 3, the output of the toner density sensor 37 is unstable and sometimes reaches nearly 0V.
  • the sub developer unit 3 generally comprises a dip switch 47 with a circuit composition as shown in Fig. 4 for indicating the color of the toner the sub developer unit 3 contains.
  • the color of the toner is identified by detecting the setting condition of the dip switch 47.
  • the color is identified by setting the dip switch 47 in the conditions (a), (b) or (c) shown in Fig. 4, where, for example, the color of the toner is red when the switch is set in the condition (a), blue, in the condition (b), and green, in the condition (c).
  • the dip switch 47 is attached to the sub developer unit 3 as shown in Fig. 5, and is set as described above by rotating its rotation driving portion 48 with, for example, a screwdriver. By detecting the output of the dip switch 47, whether the sub developer unit 3 is attached or not is detected.
  • the terminals T1 to T4 shown in Fig. 4 are connected to a circuit provided in the copying machine body, and the control section 40 judges which of the terminals T1 to T3 is connected to the terminal T4 through the dip switch 47.
  • the above judgment by the control section 40 is an identification of the color of the toner. However, it represents the sub developer unit 3 is attached to the copying machine body that the above judgment can be performed. Therefore, the control section 40 detects whether the developer units are attached or not based on the above judgment.
  • the detection of whether the main developer unit 2 and the sub developer unit 3 are attached or not is not necessarily performed in the above-described manner; it can be performed in other appropriate manners. For example, the detection can be also performed by providing a switch which is turned on or off when a developer unit is attached to a copying machine body, on a developer unit attaching section of the copying machine body, so that the control section 40 can perform the judgment with the output of the switch.
  • the control section 40 detects whether the main and sub developer units 2 and 3 are attached or not in the above-described manner.
  • the control section 40 makes a copying mechanism section 46 operationable when both of the main and sub developer units 2 and 3 are attached; when either of the developer units is not attached, it makes the copying mechanism section 46 unoperationable.
  • the toner density control is performed only when a predetermined plural number of developer units are attached to an image forming apparatus body and the output data of the developer units are required to be corrected only when the developer units are attached, malfunction of the correction is not generated.
  • the initial value can be set in the condition where either of the developer units is attached or where both of the developer units are attached. Even when only one of the developer units is attached, correct data may be chosen in the correction of the toner density of both the developer units 2 and 3, since it is clear that, in the copying operation, the toner density control is performed only when both of the developer units are attached.
  • the above-described is an embodiment when two developer units are provided.
  • the same method is applicable to the copying machine with which three or more developer units are provided.
  • the copying machine can be so constructed that the copying operation and the initial setting are operationable when predetermined plural number of developer units are attached as well as when all of them are attached.
  • the above embodiment is an application of the present invention to a copying machine.
  • the present invention is also applicable to a printer.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Dry Development In Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Color Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
EP19910104237 1990-03-19 1991-03-19 Elektrografisches Bilderzeugungsgerät Expired - Lifetime EP0448039B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2068765A JPH03267968A (ja) 1990-03-19 1990-03-19 画像形成装置
JP68765/90 1990-03-19

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0448039A2 true EP0448039A2 (de) 1991-09-25
EP0448039A3 EP0448039A3 (en) 1992-12-02
EP0448039B1 EP0448039B1 (de) 1995-11-15

Family

ID=13383160

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19910104237 Expired - Lifetime EP0448039B1 (de) 1990-03-19 1991-03-19 Elektrografisches Bilderzeugungsgerät

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0448039B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH03267968A (de)
DE (1) DE69114556T2 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7136831B2 (en) * 2001-04-27 2006-11-14 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Collection information management server and collection information management method

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2596536A1 (fr) * 1986-03-31 1987-10-02 Toshiba Kk Appareil de formation d'image pour copieur et imprimante
JPH01180569A (ja) * 1988-01-13 1989-07-18 Minolta Camera Co Ltd 画像形成装置のオプショントナー補給器
US4885611A (en) * 1987-02-26 1989-12-05 Minolta Camera Kabushika Kaisha Multicolor image forming apparatus
US4897690A (en) * 1987-09-30 1990-01-30 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus
EP0357432A2 (de) * 1988-08-31 1990-03-07 Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. Mehrfarbige Entwicklungsvorrichtung für ein Bildaufzeichnungsgerät

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS60164776A (ja) * 1984-02-08 1985-08-27 Hitachi Ltd 現像装置
JPH0679171B2 (ja) * 1984-12-26 1994-10-05 キヤノン株式会社 画像形成装置
JPS6385771A (ja) * 1986-09-30 1988-04-16 Mita Ind Co Ltd 複写装置
JPS63155062A (ja) * 1986-12-19 1988-06-28 Toshiba Corp 画像形成装置
JPH0682244B2 (ja) * 1987-08-03 1994-10-19 キヤノン株式会社 プロセスカートリッジ及び画像形成装置
JPS63206774A (ja) * 1987-02-24 1988-08-26 Minolta Camera Co Ltd 画像形成装置
JPH0820841B2 (ja) * 1987-03-03 1996-03-04 三田工業株式会社 プロセスユニツトの装着検知装置

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2596536A1 (fr) * 1986-03-31 1987-10-02 Toshiba Kk Appareil de formation d'image pour copieur et imprimante
US4885611A (en) * 1987-02-26 1989-12-05 Minolta Camera Kabushika Kaisha Multicolor image forming apparatus
US4897690A (en) * 1987-09-30 1990-01-30 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus
JPH01180569A (ja) * 1988-01-13 1989-07-18 Minolta Camera Co Ltd 画像形成装置のオプショントナー補給器
EP0357432A2 (de) * 1988-08-31 1990-03-07 Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. Mehrfarbige Entwicklungsvorrichtung für ein Bildaufzeichnungsgerät

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN. vol. 17, no. 4, September 1974, NEW YORK US page 1096 G.T.WILLIAMS 'toner control interlocks' *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 13, no. 464 (P-947)20 October 1989 & JP-A-01 180 569 ( MINOLTA CAMERA ) *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7136831B2 (en) * 2001-04-27 2006-11-14 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Collection information management server and collection information management method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH03267968A (ja) 1991-11-28
EP0448039B1 (de) 1995-11-15
DE69114556D1 (de) 1995-12-21
EP0448039A3 (en) 1992-12-02
DE69114556T2 (de) 1996-04-11

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