EP0602016A2 - Appareil de formation d'images en couleurs - Google Patents

Appareil de formation d'images en couleurs Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0602016A2
EP0602016A2 EP94103206A EP94103206A EP0602016A2 EP 0602016 A2 EP0602016 A2 EP 0602016A2 EP 94103206 A EP94103206 A EP 94103206A EP 94103206 A EP94103206 A EP 94103206A EP 0602016 A2 EP0602016 A2 EP 0602016A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
image
developing
unit
toner
image forming
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
EP94103206A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0602016A3 (fr
EP0602016B1 (fr
Inventor
Shunji Matsuo
Shizuo Morita
Satoshi Haneda
Masakazu Fukuchi
Seiko Naganuma
Masahiko Itaya
Fumiaki Hiraike
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.)
Konica Minolta Inc
Original Assignee
Konica Minolta Inc
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
Priority claimed from JP11712489A external-priority patent/JPH02294672A/ja
Priority claimed from JP1135334A external-priority patent/JPH031165A/ja
Priority claimed from JP1197657A external-priority patent/JPH0361963A/ja
Application filed by Konica Minolta Inc filed Critical Konica Minolta Inc
Publication of EP0602016A2 publication Critical patent/EP0602016A2/fr
Publication of EP0602016A3 publication Critical patent/EP0602016A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0602016B1 publication Critical patent/EP0602016B1/fr
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
    • G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
    • G03G21/18—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements using a processing cartridge, whereby the process cartridge comprises at least two image processing means in a single unit
    • G03G21/1803—Arrangements or disposition of the complete process cartridge or parts thereof
    • G03G21/1807—Arrangements or disposition of the complete process cartridge or parts thereof colour
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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
    • G03G21/1628—Clamshell type
    • 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
    • G03G21/1642—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements for connecting the different parts of the apparatus
    • G03G21/1647—Mechanical connection means
    • 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
    • G03G21/18—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements using a processing cartridge, whereby the process cartridge comprises at least two image processing means in a single unit
    • G03G21/1803—Arrangements or disposition of the complete process cartridge or parts thereof
    • G03G21/1817—Arrangements or disposition of the complete process cartridge or parts thereof having a submodular arrangement
    • 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
    • G03G21/18—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements using a processing cartridge, whereby the process cartridge comprises at least two image processing means in a single unit
    • G03G21/1839—Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body
    • G03G21/1842—Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body for guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks
    • G03G21/1853—Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body for guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks the process cartridge being mounted perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive member
    • 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
    • G03G2221/1603—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for multicoloured copies
    • 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
    • G03G2221/1654—Locks and means for positioning or alignment
    • 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
    • G03G2221/1678—Frame structures
    • G03G2221/1687—Frame structures using opening shell type machines, e.g. pivoting assemblies
    • 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
    • G03G2221/18—Cartridge systems
    • 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
    • G03G2221/18—Cartridge systems
    • G03G2221/183—Process cartridge
    • G03G2221/1853—Process cartridge having a submodular arrangement
    • 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
    • G03G2221/18—Cartridge systems
    • G03G2221/183—Process cartridge
    • G03G2221/1853—Process cartridge having a submodular arrangement
    • G03G2221/1861—Rotational subunit connection

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus such as a color printer, a color copier and the like.
  • the present invention especially relates to a color image forming apparatus which can form a color image of stable quality, be made compact, and meet the demand of forming a black and white image.
  • the present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus which enables to stably form a black and white.
  • a copier with a process cartridge has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 163276/1982, wherein the process cartridge is integrally composed of a photoreceptor drum, a charger, a cleaning unit and a black and white developing unit, and the process cartridge can be easily attached to and removed from the apparatus.
  • a color copier In the copying machine industry, there is now an increased demand for a color image instead of a black and white image because a color image has much information.
  • a color copier has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection No. 72159/1983, wherein the color copier is provided with a color copy process cartridge which has a photoreceptor drum, a charger, a color developing device composed of a plurality of developing units, a cleaning unit and the like, and is provided with a black and white copy process cartridge with a black (BK) developing device so that the black and white copy process cartridge can be used as the spare of the color copy process cartridge.
  • BK black
  • the above-described color copy process cartridge has a complicated structure and is expensive since a plurality of developing devices are installed in it.
  • the above-described cartridge is replaced and discarded after its photoreceptor with long life has been used to its limits or the carrier in the developer has been used to its limits.
  • the life of the above-described photoreceptor drum is usually 50000 to 80000 color copies and the life of the carrier contained in the developer is 20000 to 30000 color copies.
  • toner is needed to be supplied from a toner supply unit provided to each of the plural apparatus, wherein each toner supply unit is corresponding to a developing unit.
  • the toner supply unit is provided to the outside portion of the outer wall of the process cartridge and connected with the process cartridge at the connecting portion which has an opening to supply toner to the developing chamber of the developing unit.
  • the process cartridge must be replaced when the image forming mode is changed from the color image forming mode to the black and white image forming mode, or from the black and white image forming mode to the colour image forming mode. Accordingly, it has the disadvantages of complicated operation, high cost, and waste of time.
  • EP-A-0,293,597 discloses a developing device in which the colour developing means are constructed into a single unit and the black developing means comprises a second, independently arranged unit.
  • EP-A-0,228,062 discloses a photoreceptor cartridge unit which includes a frame on which a photoreceptor drum, a corona charger, a cleaner unit and a separator unit are integrally mounted.
  • the above-described colour image forming apparatus has the further disadvantages, that colour mixture tends to occur, and that it is difficult to maintain stability of the apparatus to acquire balance because a plurality of developing units stacked horizontally in the process cartridge are horizontally provided close to the photoreceptor drum.
  • the above-described colour image forming apparatus has the further disadvantage, that the transfer and conveyance mans of transfer paper tends to be stained by the toner which leaked out and dispersed because the means is located below the photoreceptor drum.
  • electrostatic image forming apparatuses Conventionally, various types of electrostatic image forming apparatuses have been used. One has the features that; a photoreceptor drum and a developing unit are provided to a unit which can be rapidly attached to and removed from the apparatus. Another has the features that; a unit including a photoreceptor drum and a unit including a developing unit are individually provided to the apparatus, wherein both units can be rapidly attached to and removed from the apparatus.
  • the above-mentioned electrostatic image forming apparatuses are formed in such a manner that the inspection of the inside of the apparatus, the exchange of parts, and the cleaning of the inside of the apparatus can be easily and positively conducted.
  • the life of a photoreceptor which is repeatedly used to form images is limited.
  • the photoreceptor is generally replaced with a new one when it has been used to the limit defined as the number of times in which the photoreceptor has been used to form images, wherein the number of times can be 10000, 30000 or 50000 times.
  • the life of a developing unit is limited in the same way as the photoreceptor.
  • the photoreceptor is commonly replaced with a new one when it has been used to the limit.
  • the photoreceptor and the developing unit have the endurance limit within which an image of good quality can be formed.
  • the endurance limit is determined by the number of times in which images have been formed. When the photoreceptor is used to the limit, it is suddenly degraded. For that reason, the photoreceptor must be replaced with a new one before is has been worn beyond the limit.
  • the developing unit although the endurance limits of Y, M, C, and BL developing units are the same, the frequency of use of each developing unit is different when multicolour image forming is conducted. Accordingly, each developing unit reaches the limit of use at different times. In many cases, the frequence of use of the black developing unit is high and the frequency of use of the colour developing unit is not so high.
  • a colour image forming apparatus for forming a colour image comprising: an image retainer for carrying said colour image, a charging means for charging a surface of said image retainer, a means for forming a latent image on the charged surface of said image retainer, a multicolour developing means for developing said latent image, a black developing means for developing said latent image, a means for conveying a transfer sheet and transferring said developed latent image onto said transfer sheet, and a cleaning means for cleaning a residual developer on the surface of said image retainer, characterised in that wherein at least said image retainer, said cleaning means and one of said developing means are formed in a detachable processing cartridge, and wherein the other said developing means is detachably attached to a body means of said colour image forming apparatus.
  • a colour image forming apparatus in which a colour image forming process cartridge is adopted, there are the advantages that: a colour image of stable quality is obtained; the apparatus is made compact by the proper arrangement and composition of image forming units; and the image forming mode is easily converted from colour image forming to black and white image forming without being restricted by a cartridge.
  • a black and white image forming process cartridge in which a black and white image forming process cartridge is adopted, there are the advantages that: the quality of a black and white image is stabilized by adopting a black and white process cartridge; the image quality is improved and the apparatus is made compact by a proper arrangement and composition of image forming units; and by providing colour developing units to the apparatus the image forming mode is easily converted from the black and white copying mode to the colour copying mode without restrictions of the process cartridge.
  • the colour image forming apparatus of the present invention has the advantages that: the charger, multi-colour developer unit for example the Y, M and C (Yellow, Magenta and Cyan) developing units, the cleaning unit, and the waste toner collecting container are provided around the photoreceptor drum and they are integrally built in the process cartridge; the process cartridge is provided to the apparatus, wherein the cartridge can be easily attached to and removed from the apparatus; and the BK (black) developing unit is singly provided to the apparatus, wherein the BK developing unit can be easily attached to and removed directly from the apparatus.
  • the charger, multi-colour developer unit for example the Y, M and C (Yellow, Magenta and Cyan) developing units, the cleaning unit, and the waste toner collecting container are provided around the photoreceptor drum and they are integrally built in the process cartridge
  • the process cartridge is provided to the apparatus, wherein the cartridge can be easily attached to and removed from the apparatus
  • the BK (black) developing unit is singly provided to the apparatus, wherein the BK developing unit can be
  • composition in which the process cartridge is adopted offers advantages as follows: the stabilization of colour image quality can be ensured; the apparatus can be made compact; the BK developing unit can be easily replaced when the toner has been consumed or the developer has been worn out without being restricted by the process cartridge; and not only colour image forming but also a large amount of black and white images can be stably formed.
  • the composition of the apparatus acquires balance, maintains stability and is made compact, and furthermore the quality of a colour image and a black and white image is improved by locating the Y, M, C, and BK developing units below the photoreceptor drum, and by locating the transfer and conveyance means of transfer paper above the photoreceptor.
  • the above-described developing units are vertically provided around the photoreceptor drum and the Y, M and C colour developing units share some portions of walls which separate the developing units so that the developing units are integrally composed.
  • the developer used in the developing units may be either one-component developer mainly composed of magnetic toner or two-component developer composed of nonmagnetic toner and magnetic carrier. However, it is preferable to use the two-component developer so that clear image tone of colouring agents can be obtained.
  • the cartridge is continuously used to form an image until the carrier in the developer or the photoreceptor has been used out to its limits. When one of them reaches its limits, it is removed from the apparatus, to be replaced. Since there is not enough room in the developing chamber of the colour developing unit located in the process cartridge, it is preferable that toner is supplied to the colour developing unit from the toner supply unit located on the front side or on the rear side of the apparatus.
  • the toner chamber may be provided in the developing unit and toner may be supplied from the toner chamber (toner hopper) to the developing chamber, and when the toner has been consumed, the developer may be replaced.
  • a toner container which is filled with toner may be attached to or removed from the developing chamber in order to supply toner, and the developing unit may be replaced when the developer, especially the carrier, has been worn out. Furthermore, a toner supply hopper may be provided so that the toner can be supplied to the developing chamber from the outside of the apparatus.
  • the process cartridge may be made more compact and its arrangement may become stable.
  • the transfer and conveyance means of transfer paper is located above the photoreceptor drum, the means is not stained by toner which leaks out from the developing units.
  • a waste toner collecting container is provided in the process cartridge; the residual toner on the surface of the photoreceptor drum is scraped off; and he collected waste toner is put into the waste toner collecting container by waste toner conveyance pipe which has a screw conveyor or coil spring.
  • the inside of the photoreceptor drum can be used as the room to put the waste toner into.
  • the colour image forming process and the black and white image forming process are stored beforehand in the program memory, and when image forming is conducted, one of the image forming processes is selected by operating the program operation key provided to the apparatus in order to form an image according to the image forming process selected through the control unit.
  • the colour image forming apparatus of the present invention has the advantages that: the charger, the BK developing unit, the cleaning unit, and the waste toner collecting container, if necessary, are integrally located around the photoreceptor and built in the process cartridge; the process cartridge is easily attached to and removed from the apparatus; and the colour developing unit if yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) is provided to the apparatus directly. Since the image forming apparatus of the present example has such a structure as described above, an inexpensive disposable process cartridge for use in forming a black and white image is realized. As a colour developing unit is installed as an optional unit in this example, the black and white image forming mode is rapidly converted to the colour image forming mode and the colour mode is rapidly converted to the black and white mode without replacing the process cartridge.
  • the colour developing unit is provided to the apparatus, it has the advantage that the developing unit can be replaced, when this is needed, without interfering with the process cartridge, and that the toner supply unit is easily provided to the colour developing unit.
  • the apparatus is composed to acquire balance to maintain stability, the apparatus is made compact, and furthermore the quality of a black and white image and a colour image is improved by locating a group of developing units including the colour developing unit and the BK developing unit below the photoreceptor, and by locating the transfer and conveyance means of transfer paper above the photoreceptor.
  • a toner supply chamber is provided to the BK developing unit in the process cartridge.
  • the process cartridge is replaced.
  • a toner supply unit may be added to the above-described developing unit and the toner may be supplied to the developing unit from the toner supply chamber until the carrier in the developer has been worn out to its limits, and when the carrier has been worn out beyond its limits, the process cartridge may be replaced.
  • the BK developing unit in the process cartridge may be made replaceable, and when the photoreceptor ha been worn out to limits, the process cartridge may be replaced.
  • a waste toner collecting container is provided in the process cartridge; the residual toner on the surface of the photoreceptor is scraped off; and the collected waste toner is conveyed to the waste toner collecting container by a waste toner conveyance pipe to which a screw conveyor or a coil spring is provided.
  • the waste toner may be put into the inside of the photoreceptor drum instead of the waste toner collecting container. It is preferable that the toner is supplied to the Y, M, and C colour developing units from toner supply hoppers which are provided on the front side of the apparatus or on the rear side of the apparatus.
  • the colour developing unit may be replaced individually or as a unit as necessary.
  • the process to form a black and white image and that to form a colour image are stored beforehand in the program memory.
  • One of the processes is selected by operating a key to be used for program operation so that the desired image forming process can be performed through a control unit.
  • Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the color printer of the first example.
  • the numeral 1 is a process cartridge in which the photoreceptor 2, the charger 3, the color developing unit 4, the cleaning unit 10, and the waste toner collecting container 15 are provided.
  • the developing unit 4 comprises the Y developing unit 5, the M developing unit 6, and the C developing unit 7, wherein the above developing units share some portions of the walls of the developing unit 4, and are integrally composed.
  • the developing rollers 5a, 6a, and 7a, the stirring rollers 5b, 5c, 6b, 6c, 7b, and 7c, and the layer thickness regulating rollers 5d, 6d, and 7d, are provided in the above-described developing units.
  • the developing rollers and the stirring rollers are vertically located in the developing units.
  • the developing units are located below the photoreceptor drum 2 so that the developing units surround the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor 2.
  • the cleaning unit 10 has the waste toner collecting tube 10a, the waste toner collecting film 10b, the cleaning blade 10c, and the discharge lamp 10d used before cleaning.
  • the waste toner scraped off from the surface of the photoreceptor by the blade 10c, is collected to the toner collecting tube 10a through the waste toner collecting film 10b.
  • the toner collecting tube 10a is connected with one end of the waste toner conveyance tube 12 and the other end of the waste toner conveyance tube 12 is connected with the waste toner recovery tube 15a in the waste toner recovery container 15. Accordingly, the waste toner which has been scraped off is collected to the toner recovery container 15 through the waste toner conveyance tube 12.
  • the BK developing unit 8 is separated from the process cartridge 1, wherein the developing unit can be rapidly attached to and removed from the apparatus without being restricted by the process cartridge. Therefore, the BK developing unit 8 can meet the demand to form a plurality of black and white images, which is the important characteristics of the present invention.
  • the numeral 20 is an optical unit for laser beams to expose an image.
  • the optical unit 20 for laser beams has the polygon mirror 20a, the collimator lens 20b, the reflection mirror 20c, 20d, and 20e, the f- ⁇ lens 20f, and the dustproof type glass 20g.
  • the letter L is an exposure light beam.
  • the semiconductor laser beams modulated by the video signal sent from the outside of the apparatus, are introduced to the optical unit 20, and the surface of the photoreceptor drum is exposed to the image exposing light L to form an electrostatic latent image.
  • the numeral 30 is a transfer paper feed cassette. Transfer paper P which was sent by the feed roller 31 from the paper feed cassette 30, is conveyed to the transfer region through the conveyance passage 32 and the upper conveyance roller 33a and the lower conveyance roller 33b of the conveyance rollers 33.
  • the numeral 40 is a transfer and conveyance unit.
  • the numeral 40a is a transfer and conveyance belt.
  • the numeral 40b and the numeral 40c are drive rollers to drive the belt 40a.
  • the numeral 40d is a belt tension roller.
  • the numeral 40e is a transfer pole.
  • the numeral 41 is a fixing unit which is composed of the press roller 41a and the heat roller 41b. A fixed transfer paper is delivered to the delivery tray 43 by the upper delivery roller 42a and the lower delivery roller 42b of the delivery rollers 42.
  • the apparatus is composed of the upper box unit K2 and the lower box unit K1, and the boundary between K2 and K1 is the line P1 - P2.
  • the upper box unit K2 can be opened with regard to the line P1 - P2, wherein the upper box unit K2 comprises the upper transfer paper conveyance roller 33a, the transfer and conveyance unit 40, the press roller 41a of the fixing unit 41, and the upper delivery roller 42a, wherein the lower box unit K1 comprises the process cartridge 1, so that a transfer paper jam which occurs in the transfer and conveyance system can be recovered.
  • the transfer paper feed cassette 30 can be attached to and removed from the apparatus.
  • a transfer paper jam which occur in the transfer paper conveyance process can be treated by opening the side lid K4, which includes one side of the conveyance passage, with regard to the boundary P5 - P6.
  • FIG. 1 the way how the process cartridge 1 is attached to and removed from the apparatus, will be explained.
  • the upper box unit K2 is opened around the shaft Q1 as a center and the upper box unit K2 is opened from the lower box unit K1, which includes the process cartridge 1, with regard to the boundary P1 - P2.
  • the front door A is opened toward the viewer's side by pulling the handle M and the front side of the apparatus is opened.
  • the lower protrusions 11a and 11b of the process cartridge 1 are slid along the guide rails 12a and 12b. In this way, the process cartridge 1 is pulled out toward the viewer's side to be replaced.
  • the front door A is opened to the viewer's side in the same way as described above, and the sliding members 13a and 13b, which engage with the guide rails 14a and 14b, are slid so that the BK developer 8 can be pulled out.
  • the developing roller 8a, the stirring rollers 8b and 8c, and the layer thickness restricting rollers 8d and 8e are included in the above-described BK developer 8.
  • Toner is supplied to the color developing units 5, 6, and 7 of Y, M, and C from the toner supply units 5e, 6e, and 7e which are provided at the rear of the apparatus.
  • Image forming of the present example was carried out by the above-described color image forming apparatus as follows.
  • the color process stored in the memory 45 was read out beforehand by operating the color process designation key 48 in the process designation keys 47, and the color process was designated through the CPU 46.
  • a color video signal an image was formed by the color developing units of Y, M, and C in the process cartridge and by the BK developing unit provided to the apparatus.
  • the cleaning unit was released and at the first rotation of the photoreceptor drum 2 the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 was uniformly charged by the charger 3 so that the drum 2 was charged to the electrical potential -700V.
  • the laser beams emitted from the semiconductor laser unit 22 were modulated by the signal Y which was the first video signal, and the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 was exposed to the obtained modulated laser beams to form an electrostatic latent image.
  • the latent image was developed by the Y developing unit 5 containing two-component developer on which the developing bias of D.C component -600V and A.C component 3KHz, 500V, was impressed, wherein the development was conducted by the method of noncontact reversal development. In this way, a Y toner image was formed on the photoreceptor drum.
  • the photoreceptor drum 2 was rotated and charged by the charger 3 to the electrical potential -700V again. Then the photoreceptor was exposed to the laser beams modulated by M signals and the latent image was developed by the M developing unit 6. In this way, a M toner image was superimposed on the Y toner image previously formed on the photoreceptor. In the same way, at the third revolution and the fourth revolution of the photoreceptor drum 2, the photoreceptor drum was exposed to the laser beams modulated by C signals and BK signals. Then, reversal development by the C developing unit 7 and the BK developing unit 8 was conducted in order to superimpose the C toner image and the BK toner images onto the previously formed Y and M toner image. The color toner image was formed in this way. Image forming of the M toner image, the C toner image, and the BK toner image was carried out under the same condition as image forming of the Y toner image.
  • a transfer paper was sent out by the paper feed roller 31 from the paper supply cassette 30 according to the predetermined image forming program. Then the transfer paper was conveyed by the transfer belt 40a to the transfer region T through the conveyance passage 32. The color toner image on the photoreceptor 2 was transferred onto the above-described transfer paper by the transfer pole 40e in the transfer region T. The transferred image on the paper was fixed by the heat roll 41b of the fixing unit 41. Then the transfer paper was delivered onto the delivery tray 43 by the delivery rollers 42, wherein the transfer paper was delivered face down.
  • the above-described cleaning unit was turned on and the residual toner on the photoreceptor 2 was removed from the surface of the photoreceptor so that the photoreceptor 2 was ready for the next image formation.
  • the above-described operation was repeated 1000 times so as to form color images:
  • the color toner was successively supplied to the developing unit 4 from the toner supply units 5e(Y), 6e(M), and 7e(C) and the BK toner was stably supplied from the toner chamber 8e in the BK developing unit 8 during the image forming. Accordingly, clear images of high density could be obtained from the beginning of the operation to the end.
  • the image forming process was changed to the black and white image forming process by operating the monochrome (black) process designation key 49 of the process designation key 47, and images were formed with the BK developing unit 8 according to the black and white video signal.
  • the electrical potential of -700V was uniformly impressed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 by the charger 3 while the cleaning blade 10c came into contact with the photoreceptor 2. Then, the laser beams modulated according to the BK video signal, were emitted from the laser unit 22 and the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2 was exposed to the modulated laser beams through the optical laser unit 20 so that an electrostatic latent image could be formed.
  • This electrostatic latent image was developed by the BK developing unit 8 which contained two-component-developer and on which the bias of D.C component -600V and A.C component 3KHz, 500V was impressed, wherein noncontact reversal development was conducted.
  • a BK toner image was formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 in this way.
  • This BK toner image was transferred and fixed onto the transfer paper sent from the paper supply cassette 30 so that the BK image could be formed.
  • the photoreceptor drum was cleaned by the cleaning unit 10.
  • the above-described operation was repeated 5000 times to form black and white images. While the operation was repeated, the BK developing unit was replaced, wherein the replacement was conducted having no relation with the process cartridge 1, to continue image forming. As a result, clean images of high density could be obtained.
  • image formation could be conducted over long periods of time by putting the waste toner scraped off from the surface of the photoreceptor 2 by the cleaning unit to the waste toner collecting container 15.
  • the present invention was applied to a color printer. If the color printer is combined with a color scanner, the apparatus can be a color copier.
  • the present invention includes the color copier described above.
  • the apparatus can be made compact; the arrangement of image forming units can be made stable; the conversion between a color image and a black and white image can be rapidly conducted without being restricted by the process cartridge; and furthermore the image of stable quality can be obtained.
  • Fig. 3 is a sectional view which explains the color printer of the second example of the present invention.
  • the numeral 1 is a process cartridge.
  • the photoreceptor drum 2, the charger 3, the BK developing unit 8, the cleaning unit 10, and the waste toner collecting container 15 are provided in the process cartridge 1.
  • the developing roller 8a, the stirring rollers 8b, 8c, the layer thickness restricting roller 8d, the developer scraping member 8e (the scraper) used for scraping the developer from the photoreceptor after development, and the toner supply cylindrical member 8f are provided in the above described BK developing unit 8.
  • a plurality of black and white images can be printed as the toner is successively supplied from the toner supply cylindrical member 8f.
  • the cleaning unit 10 has the waste toner collecting tube 10a, the waste toner collecting film 10b, the cleaning blade 10c, and the discharge lamp 10d used before cleaning.
  • the wasted toner scraped off from the surface of the photoreceptor 2 is collected to the waste toner collecting tube 10a through the waste toner collecting film 10b.
  • the waste toner collecting tube 10a is connected with one end of the waste toner conveyance tube 12 which is provided on the front side of the apparatus, and the other end of the waste toner conveyance tube 12 is connected with the waste toner recovery tube 15a of the waste toner recovery container 15.
  • the scraped waste toner is recovered into the waste toner recovery container 15 through the waste toner conveyance tube 12.
  • the charger 3 is a scorotron charger with a grid and its discharging wire can be cleaned by a manually operated cleaning means.
  • the color developing unit 4 comprises the Y developing unit 5, the M developing unit 6, the C developing unit 7, wherein the developing units are integrally assembled sharing some portions of the walls located between them, and each developing unit can be easily attached to and removed from the apparatus.
  • the developing units have the developing rollers 5a, 6a, 7a, the stirring rollers 5b, 6b, 7b, 5c, 6c, 7c, the layer thickness restricting rollers 5d, 6d, 7d, and the scrapers 5e, 6e, 7e.
  • This color image developing unit 4 can be replaced according to the demand of a user without being restricted by the process cartridge 1.
  • toner hoppers to supply the toner are provided to the Y, M, and C developing units so that color images can be successively formed until the carrier in the developer is worn out to its limits.
  • the efficiency of stirring and mixing is high enough that sufficient triboelectric charging can be conducted to the developer.
  • the above-described developing units are located below the photoreceptor drum 2, wherein the developing units surround the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor. Accordingly, the apparatus can be made further compact.
  • the way how to attach the process cartridge 1 and the color developing unit 4 to the lower box unit K1 and how to remove them from it will be explained as follows.
  • the upper box unit K2 is opened around the shaft Q1 as a center with regard to the lower box unit K1.
  • the handle M located on the front side of the cartridge and the handle M' located on the rear side of the cartridge are held and the process cartridge 1 is drawn up to remove the cartridge from the apparatus.
  • the color developing unit 4 located below the process cartridge 1 is drawn up in the same way.
  • the color developing unit 4 is forced to engage with the unit receivers 4a, 4b, and then the process cartridge 1 is forced to engage with the cartridge receivers 1a, 1b provided to the lower box unit K1.
  • the upper box unit K2 is closed to the lower box unit K1 so that the apparatus becomes ready to form an image.
  • the protrusion N (N') provided to the process cartridge 1 is pressed downward by the protrusion L (L') provided to the upper box unit K2 so that the process cartridge can be fixed to the cartridge receivers 1a, 1b.
  • the gap between the photoreceptor drum 2 and the color developing unit 4 is maintained by a bumping member which is not shown in the drawings.
  • the color developing unit is also fixed to the unit receivers 4a, 4b through the above-described bumping member.
  • the image forming process in the second example is the same as that in the first example.
  • the BK toner image in the second example was transferred and fixed onto the transfer paper sent from the transfer paper supply cassette 30 and the BK image was formed.
  • the photoreceptor drum 2 was cleaned by the cleaning unit 10.
  • image forming was conducted 25000 times while toner was supplied to the developing unit from the cylindrical toner supply member 8f, the process cartridge was replaced in case the carrier was worn out, and image forming was successively carried out. As a result, a clear black and white image of high density could be obtained.
  • Other characteristics of the obtained images were the same as those in the first example.
  • the apparatus can be made compact; the image forming units can be arranged stable; the conversion between color image forming and black and white image forming can be rapidly carried out without being restricted by the process cartridge; black and white images which are in great demand can be stably printed; and additionally color images can be printed.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • Color Electrophotography (AREA)
EP94103206A 1989-05-09 1990-05-09 Appareil de formation d'images en couleurs Expired - Lifetime EP0602016B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP11712489A JPH02294672A (ja) 1989-05-09 1989-05-09 カラー画像形成装置
JP117124/89 1989-05-09
JP135334/89 1989-05-29
JP1135334A JPH031165A (ja) 1989-05-29 1989-05-29 カラー画像形成装置
JP197657/89 1989-07-29
JP1197657A JPH0361963A (ja) 1989-07-29 1989-07-29 電子写真画像形成装置
EP90304984A EP0397465B1 (fr) 1989-05-09 1990-05-09 Appareil de formation d'images à couleurs

Related Parent Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90304984A Division EP0397465B1 (fr) 1989-05-09 1990-05-09 Appareil de formation d'images à couleurs
EP90304984.9 Division 1990-05-09

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0602016A2 true EP0602016A2 (fr) 1994-06-15
EP0602016A3 EP0602016A3 (fr) 1995-05-10
EP0602016B1 EP0602016B1 (fr) 1998-08-05

Family

ID=27313305

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90304984A Expired - Lifetime EP0397465B1 (fr) 1989-05-09 1990-05-09 Appareil de formation d'images à couleurs
EP94103206A Expired - Lifetime EP0602016B1 (fr) 1989-05-09 1990-05-09 Appareil de formation d'images en couleurs

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90304984A Expired - Lifetime EP0397465B1 (fr) 1989-05-09 1990-05-09 Appareil de formation d'images à couleurs

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EP (2) EP0397465B1 (fr)
DE (2) DE69032546T2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5168308A (en) * 1989-07-29 1992-12-01 Konica Corporation Clamshell-type electrophotographic image forming apparatus
JP3278198B2 (ja) * 1991-06-28 2002-04-30 キヤノン株式会社 プロセスカートリッジ、及び、前記プロセスカートリッジを着脱可能な画像形成装置
US5537188A (en) * 1993-08-20 1996-07-16 Konica Corporation Color image forming apparatus having a process cartridge and a color developer cartridge
US5541720A (en) * 1993-10-14 1996-07-30 Konica Corporation Color image forming apparatus with a process cartridge and a color developing unit
JP3337859B2 (ja) * 1994-04-26 2002-10-28 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

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3883242A (en) * 1970-12-29 1975-05-13 Canon Kk Electronic photographic copying machine
EP0276910A1 (fr) * 1987-01-09 1988-08-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Unité de traitement et appareil de formation d'image en couleur l'utilisant
EP0293597A1 (fr) * 1987-05-31 1988-12-07 Ricoh Company, Ltd Dispositif de développement pour un appareil de formation d'images en couleur
JPH02120870A (ja) * 1988-10-31 1990-05-08 Konica Corp カラー画像形成装置

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0228062B1 (fr) * 1985-12-27 1992-03-11 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Assemblage de cartouche à photorécepteur
KR920008748B1 (ko) * 1987-04-17 1992-10-09 마쯔시다덴기산교 가부시기가이샤 다색전자사진장치
CA2003398A1 (fr) * 1988-11-21 1990-05-21 Shizuo Morita Machine a photocopier en couleurs avec cartouche de traitement amovible

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3883242A (en) * 1970-12-29 1975-05-13 Canon Kk Electronic photographic copying machine
EP0276910A1 (fr) * 1987-01-09 1988-08-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Unité de traitement et appareil de formation d'image en couleur l'utilisant
EP0293597A1 (fr) * 1987-05-31 1988-12-07 Ricoh Company, Ltd Dispositif de développement pour un appareil de formation d'images en couleur
JPH02120870A (ja) * 1988-10-31 1990-05-08 Konica Corp カラー画像形成装置

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 14, no. 343 (P-1082) 25 July 1990 & JP-A-02 120 870 (KONICA) 8 May 1990 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0602016A3 (fr) 1995-05-10
EP0397465B1 (fr) 1994-10-26
DE69032546T2 (de) 1999-02-18
DE69013565T2 (de) 1995-03-30
DE69032546D1 (de) 1998-09-10
EP0397465A1 (fr) 1990-11-14
DE69013565D1 (de) 1994-12-01
EP0602016B1 (fr) 1998-08-05

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