JP2000258981A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device at which the residual amount of toner is confirmed without deteriorating operability in maintenance, etc., by a simple constitution and the installation space of a toner cartridge is effectively obtained. SOLUTION: As for a color image forming device which is provided with plural developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d in the periphery of a photoreceptive drum 2 and possesses plural toner cartridges 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d replenishing the toner of a different color to each developing device, a base plate 15 pivotally movable by centering one side to a device main body is provided on the side surface side of the photoreceptive drum 2, and the plural toner cartridges 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d are nearly horizontally juxtaposed in a direction orthogonal with the width direction of a developing device at the base plate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer provided with a toner cartridge, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having a plurality of cartridges connected to respective developing devices to form a color image. The present invention relates to a forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a color image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer for forming a color image, an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of developing devices are arranged around a photosensitive drum is known. For example, image data obtained by color separation on the photosensitive drum is formed on the photosensitive drum every rotation of the photosensitive drum, and a color image is formed on the same photosensitive drum by a developing device filled with toner according to each image data. A batch transfer method for transferring this color image to a transfer material at once,
The color-separated image data on the photosensitive drum is formed on the same photosensitive drum, developed, and transferred to the intermediate transfer drum around which the transfer material is wound each time, and this process is repeated a plurality of times to form a color image on the intermediate transfer drum. An intermediate transfer drum system is known in which a transfer material carrying a color image is formed, and then the image is formed by fixing the transfer material.

In such a color image forming apparatus,
The developing device is arranged along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, and is provided with a toner cartridge connected to supply the toner consumed in the developing device. The toner cartridge has a cylindrical shape, and a screw is provided inside the toner cartridge along the inner wall surface. The screw is appropriately rotated by a supply signal or the like from a toner detection sensor in the developing device to supply toner into the developing device. As the arrangement position of the cartridge, it is arranged so as to be substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction in which the developing device is arranged,
It is provided detachably so as to be inserted into the apparatus main body.

On the other hand, in order to avoid replacing the toner cartridge as much as possible, a large capacity toner cartridge is required.

[0005]

As described above, when a large amount of toner is loaded into the main body of the image forming apparatus, the method of inserting the cartridge in the same direction as the developing device hinders the miniaturization of the device. Would. That is, it is necessary to provide a toner cartridge on the side surface in order to reduce the cross section in the transfer material transport direction, and the horizontal arrangement is efficient in order to secure a large capacity toner cartridge.

When the cartridge is inserted in the same direction as the developing device, the presence / absence of toner can be detected by a toner presence / absence sensor inside the developing device. When checking how much toner remains, the toner cartridge cannot be checked because the toner cartridge is located at a position where the remaining amount of toner is not visible. For this reason, the toner cartridge is provided in parallel with the substrate provided on the side surface of the photosensitive drum, and the image forming section is exposed by opening the door of the image forming apparatus, thereby exposing the substrate and exposing the toner remaining in the toner cartridge. Check the quantity. However, when exchanging devices such as the photosensitive drum and the developing device, it is necessary to first remove the toner cartridge and then work.
The work becomes complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. A large-capacity toner cartridge can be used, and the remaining amount of toner can be reduced with a simple configuration without lowering workability such as maintenance. It is an object of the present invention to provide a color image forming apparatus capable of confirming the image quality and effectively obtaining a space for installing a toner cartridge.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising a developing device provided around a photosensitive drum and having a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the developing device. A substrate is provided on a side surface of the developing device so as to be pivotable about one side with respect to the apparatus main body, and the cartridge is provided on the substrate substantially horizontally in a direction orthogonal to a width direction of the developing device. The container of the toner cartridge has transparency, and the amount of toner remaining inside can be checked.

Further, in a color image forming apparatus having a plurality of developing devices around a photosensitive drum and having a plurality of toner cartridges for supplying toners of different colors to each developing device, a side of the photosensitive drum is provided on an apparatus main body. A plurality of toner cartridges are arranged substantially horizontally in a direction orthogonal to a width direction of the developing device on the substrate. It is characterized in that the container of the cartridge has transparency and the amount of toner remaining inside can be checked.

With this configuration, the door that exposes the image forming section in the image forming apparatus main body is opened. Thereby, the transparent toner cartridge is exposed, and the remaining amount of toner inside the cartridge can be confirmed. Next, the periphery of the photosensitive drum is exposed by pivoting with reference to one side of the substrate on which the toner cartridge is provided, and replacement of the developing device, the photosensitive drum, and the like is performed.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The image forming section 1 includes a corona charger 3 for uniformly charging the photosensitive drum 2 as a center, and an exposure device 4 such as an LED array for exposing color-separated image data onto the photosensitive drum 2.
And developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d for developing the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum formed by the exposure device 4 with toners corresponding to the respective colors, and charging, exposure, and development corresponding to the respective colors. A transfer corona discharger 6 for transferring a color image formed after a plurality of repetitions to a transfer material, a separation corona discharger 7 for peeling the transfer material from the photosensitive drum 2, a blade for removing toner remaining after transfer, and the like. The cleaning device includes a cleaning device 8 and an eraser lamp 9 that removes electricity from the surface of the photosensitive drum 2. Developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
Are arranged such that the colors of the toners are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

As described above, the color image is formed on the photosensitive drum 2 by repeating charging, exposing, and developing around the photosensitive drum 2 a plurality of times, and this image is transferred to a transfer material sent from a paper feeding unit (not shown). The image is transferred by the action of the corona discharger 6, the transfer material is fixed by a fixing device (not shown), and is discharged to the outside of the apparatus main body.

Another color image forming apparatus will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, an intermediate transfer drum 10 around which a transfer material is wound is provided downstream of a developing device 5d. The toner image of each color is formed one by one on the photosensitive drum 2 by repeating charging, exposing, developing, and transferring a plurality of times around the center, and transferred to the transfer material wound around the intermediate transfer roller by the action of the transfer corona discharger 9 each time. Thereafter, the image is fixed by a fixing device (not shown) to obtain a color image.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the color image forming apparatus showing the arrangement of the toner cartridge. Hereinafter, the batch transfer method will be described as an example of the above-described image forming method, but an intermediate transfer method may be used. Developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, 5
“d” is provided so as to be able to approach and separate from the photosensitive drum 2, and performs development by bringing the selected developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d close to the photosensitive drum. Developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, 5
d denotes a casing 11 for storing toner, and a developing roller 12 for carrying a toner layer having a certain thickness.
And a stirring roller 13 for supplying toner to the developing roller 12.
And Developing devices 5a and 5 for the colors to be developed
b, 5c and 5d are moved toward the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 at a predetermined timing at a predetermined timing at the time of image formation, and after the development is completed, the developing device retreats and development corresponding to the next color is performed.

Each of the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, 5
The toner cartridges 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d are arranged substantially horizontally on the substrate 15 provided on the side surface of the photosensitive drum 2 so as to be orthogonal to the width direction. Toner cartridges 14a, 14b, 14c, 1
4d transfers the toner in the toner cartridge to the developing device 5a,
It has a transport means 16 for transporting to 5b, 5c and 5d. The conveying means 16 includes toner cartridges 14a, 14b, 1
A screw 17 for transporting toner inside 5c, a transport cylinder 19 provided with a transport screw 18 therein, outlets of toner cartridges 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d and entrances of developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d. Are in communication with each other. The screw 17 is driven by a motor (not shown), and the transport screw 18 is connected to a drive system that drives the supply roller 13 when connected to the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d. Screw 1
The transfer screw 7 and the transport screw 18 are provided so as to be appropriately driven based on a detection signal of the presence or absence of toner by a toner sensor or the like provided inside the developing device.

Further, the toner cartridges 14a, 14
The containers b, 14c, and 14d desirably have transparency so that the toner stored therein can be seen through, and may be translucent. The remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge can be confirmed.

A cover 20 is provided on the transport cylinder 19 side of the connecting portion between the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d and the transport cylinder 19, and is urged in a closing direction in a normal state. When the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d are moved away from the photosensitive drum by maintenance or the like, the lid 20 acts to close. When the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d approach the photosensitive drum 2, the lid 20 closes. When released, the communication between the transport cylinder 19 and the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d is established. In the figure, since the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are separated from the photosensitive drum 2, the lid 20 is all closed.

The substrate 15 is provided on a side plate of the apparatus main body by, for example, a hinge mechanism 21 so as to be pivotable about one side. In the embodiment, the hinge mechanism 21 is provided on the photosensitive drum 2. Are provided on the opposite side of the developing device with respect to.

FIG. 4 shows the substrate 15 viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG.
Toner cartridges 14a, 14b, 14
c and 14d are shown. Toner cartridges 14a, 14
b, 14c and 14d are fixed to a shelf 22 provided on the substrate 15 by a suitable locking member, and are provided so as to pivot outward with respect to the apparatus main body. Although not shown, the toner cartridges 14a, 14b, 14c, 1
A door that covers the inside of the image forming apparatus is provided outside the substrate 15 to which the 4d is attached, and the inside of the image forming apparatus is exposed by opening the door.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. The image forming section 1 is exposed by opening the door of the image forming apparatus main body. Next, the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are moved to positions away from the photosensitive drum 2, and the lid 20 that connects the transport cylinder 19 and the developing devices 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d is closed. Toner cartridges 14a, 14b,
By pivoting around one end side of the substrate 15 provided with 14c and 15d, the periphery of the photosensitive drum 2 is exposed. Due to this exposure, replacement of the photosensitive drum 2 and development devices 5a, 5b, 5
Maintenance such as replacement of c and 5d can be performed.

Although the description has been given of the color image forming apparatus in which a plurality of developing devices are arranged, the same effect can be obtained even in an image forming device having only one developing device.

[0022]

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the image forming portion around the photosensitive drum can be exposed by a simple structure in which the toner cartridge provided on the substrate is pivoted and moved. Maintenance such as replacement of peripheral devices such as drums can be easily performed. Further, the capacity of the toner cartridge can be increased. Furthermore,
Since the entirety of the toner cartridge is exposed when the door of the apparatus main body is opened, the amount of toner stored when the toner cartridge has transparency can be checked.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view illustrating an example of a color image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view illustrating an example of another color image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement relationship between a developing device and a toner cartridge in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view as seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state where the substrate is pivoted.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming part 2 Photosensitive drum 3 Corona discharger 4 Exposure device 5, 5a, 5b, 5c Developing device 6 Transfer corona discharger 7 Separate corona discharger 8 Cleaning device 9 Erase lamp 10 Intermediate transfer drum 11 Casing 12 Developing roller 13 Supply Rollers 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d Toner cartridge 15 Substrate 16 Transporting means 17 Screw 18 Transport screw 19 Transport cylinder 20 Lid 21 Hinge mechanism 22 Shelf

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising a developing device provided around a photosensitive drum and having a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the developing device. An image forming apparatus comprising: a pivotable substrate; and the substrate provided substantially horizontally in a direction orthogonal to a width direction of the developing device. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container of the toner cartridge has transparency, and the amount of toner remaining inside can be checked. 3. A color image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of developing devices provided around a photosensitive drum and having a plurality of toner cartridges for replenishing toners of different colors to the respective developing devices. A color image, wherein a substrate which is pivotable about one side is provided, and the plurality of toner cartridges are arranged on this substrate substantially horizontally in a direction orthogonal to a width direction of the developing device. Forming equipment. 4. The color image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the container of the toner cartridge has transparency, and the amount of toner remaining inside can be checked.