JP2003122099A - Developer container, process cartridge and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a developer container wherein a cap member is surely prevented from falling off when a toner seal is pulled out with a more inexpensive and more simple constitution, and to provide a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus equipped with the developer container. SOLUTION: As for the typical constitution of the developer container, the process cartridge and the image forming apparatus, the developer container is a container for storing the developer, and the container is provided with an opening for supplying the developer from the storing part, a sealing member for sealing the opening, a sealing member draw port for drawing the sealing member out, a cap member as an individual body attached to the sealing member draw port so as to wipe off the developer sticking to the sealing member, and a cover member attached to the container main body, and the developer container is characterized in that an elastic part which is pressed and bent by the cover member is arranged in the container main body, and the elastic member is bent to be positioned so as to prevent the cap member from falling off from the developer container.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a removable developer container used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge using the same, and an image forming apparatus.

Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by using an electrophotographic image forming system. Then, examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, etc.), a facsimile machine, a word processor, and the like.

A process cartridge is a cartridge in which a charging unit, a developing unit, a cleaning unit, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum as an image carrier are integrally formed, and the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus. It was done. That is, a process cartridge is one in which at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge and can be attached to and detached from the apparatus body.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process such as a printer uniformly charges a photosensitive drum, which is an image carrier, and forms a latent image by selectively exposing the photosensitive drum. , The latent image is visualized with toner as a developer,
Image recording is performed by transferring the toner image onto a recording medium and further fixing the toner image onto the recording medium by applying heat or pressure to the transferred toner image. Such a device involves toner supply and maintenance of various process means,
As a means for facilitating the toner replenishment work and maintenance, a cartridge in which the photosensitive drum, the charging means, the developing means, the cleaning means and the like are integrated in a frame body has been put into practical use.

The developer container of such a process cartridge is sealed by a seal member called a toner seal in order to prevent toner leakage in an unused state. When the user uses the developer container, after pulling out the toner seal, the developer container is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Since the surface of such a toner seal is soiled by the toner that has been sealed in, the developer container has a wiping member for removing the toner adhering to the toner seal, and the toner seal for pulling out the toner seal. It is provided at the outlet. A foaming member or a flocking member may be used as the wiping member, but an elastic member having a plurality of lip portions for wiping the toner is used in order to more reliably remove the toner attached to the toner seal surface. It is often done. This wiping member enables the toner adhering to the surface of the toner seal to be surely wiped off, and the user can pull out the toner seal without getting his hands dirty.

When the elastic member is used as a toner seal wiping member, the elastic member is attached to the toner seal pull-out port by press fitting as a cap member separate from the developer container.

[0008]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. That is, because the cap member is press-fitted into the toner seal extraction port, a force is applied in the direction in which the cap member slips out when the toner seal is pulled out, and when the cap member slips out, toner leaks from the extraction port and the user There was a risk that his hands and clothes would get dirty.

Even if the cap member does not fall off,
If the cap member is displaced from the actual mounting position, a gap may be formed between the extraction port and the cap member, and the toner may leak from the gap. Furthermore, if the developer container is used as it is, the amount of toner that has leaked is not sufficient to form an image over its original life, or toner may leak inside the main body of the image forming apparatus, resulting in equipment failure in the worst case. There was a risk of being invited.

As a means for solving the above problem, it is conceivable to provide a member for preventing the cap member from falling off. However, if the capping prevention member is provided separately, the number of parts increases and the cost increases. Another problem is that the process cartridge becomes difficult to assemble due to the complicated structure.

Therefore, the present invention provides a developer container, which has a cheaper and simpler structure and reliably prevents the cap member from falling off when the toner seal is pulled out, and a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus including the developer container. The purpose is to do.

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, a typical structure of a developer container, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is a developer container containing a developer, An opening for supplying the developer from the storage portion, and a seal member for closing the opening,
A seal member withdrawal opening for withdrawing the seal member,
The container body has a separate cap member attached to the seal member extraction port for wiping off the developer adhering to the seal member, and a cover member attached to the container body. An elastic portion is provided so as to be bent, and the elastic portion is positioned to prevent the cap member from dropping from the developer container by bending.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of a developer container, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the configuration of a process cartridge, FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view illustrating the configuration of a process cartridge, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are toner seals of a developer container. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a pull-out configuration, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating attachment of a cap member, FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a cap member, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams illustrating a configuration of an elastic portion.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a main part in the vicinity of the cap member for explaining the action of the elastic portion, and FIGS. 14 and 15 are enlarged views of the main part in the vicinity of the cap member according to the conventional configuration.

(Overall Structure) First, the overall structure of the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus shown in the figure includes four photoconductor drums 1a to 1d as image carriers, which are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction. The photosensitive drum 1 is rotationally driven counterclockwise in the figure by a driving unit (not shown). Charging devices 2a to 2d that uniformly charge the surface of the photoconductor drum 1 in order around the photoconductor drum 1 according to the rotation direction thereof, and an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum 1 by irradiating a laser beam based on image information. Scanner units 3a to 3d for forming a toner image, developing devices 4a to 4d for developing a toner image by attaching toner to the electrostatic latent image, and an electrostatic transfer device 5 for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 to the transfer material S. Cleaning devices 6a to 6d for removing transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after the transfer are provided. Here, the photosensitive drum 1, the charging device 2, the developing device 4, and the cleaning device 6 are integrally formed into a cartridge to form a process cartridge 7.

The photoconductor drum 1 is, for example, an organic photoconductor layer (OPC photoconductor) on the outer peripheral surface of an aluminum cylinder having a diameter of 30 mm.
Is applied. The photosensitive drum 1 has its both ends rotatably supported by support members,
A driving force from a driving motor (not shown) is transmitted to one end portion, so that the driving motor is rotated counterclockwise. As the charging device 2, a contact charging type device can be used. The charging member is a conductive roller formed in the shape of a roller. The roller is brought into contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 and a charging bias voltage is applied to the roller to make the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 uniform. It is to be charged. The scanner unit 3 is arranged substantially in the horizontal direction of the photoconductor drum 1, and image light corresponding to an image signal is applied to polygon mirrors 9a to 9d rotated at high speed by a scanner motor (not shown) by a laser diode (not shown). It The image light reflected by the polygon mirror 9 is charged through the imaging lenses 10a to 10d to the charged photosensitive drum 1
The surface is selectively exposed to form an electrostatic latent image. Each of the developing devices 4a to 4d is composed of a developing device that stores therein toner of each color of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.

An electrostatic transfer belt 11 is provided so as to face all the photoconductor drums 1a to 1d and to circulate so as to be in contact therewith. The electrostatic transfer belt 11 is composed of a film-shaped member having a volume resistivity of 10 ^ 11 to 10 ^ 14 Ωcm and a perimeter of about 700 mm and a thickness of about 150 μm. The electrostatic transfer belt 11 is supported by four rollers including a driving roller 13, driven rollers 14a and 14b, and a tension roller 15, and the transfer material S is attached to the outer peripheral surface on the left side in the drawing.
Is electrostatically adsorbed and is circulated to bring the transfer material S into contact with the photosensitive drum 1. As a result, the transfer material S is conveyed to the transfer position by the electrostatic transfer belt 11, and the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred. The transfer rollers 12a to 12d are arranged side by side at the positions contacting the inside of the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and facing the four photoconductor drums 1a to 1d. Positive charges are applied to the transfer material S from the transfer rollers 12 via the electrostatic transfer belt 11, and an electric field generated by the charges causes the transfer material S in contact with the photosensitive material drum 1 to be transferred onto the photosensitive material drum 1. A negative toner image is transferred.

The feeding section 16 feeds and conveys the transfer material S to the image forming section, and a plurality of transfer materials S are fed to the feeding cassette.
It is stored in 17. At the time of image formation, the feeding roller 18 (half-moon roller) and the registration roller pair 19 are driven and rotated in accordance with the image forming operation to separate and feed the transfer materials S in the feeding cassette 17 one by one, and at the end of the transfer material S. Is a pair of registration rollers
After stopping at 19 and temporarily forming a loop, the rotation of the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and the image writing position are synchronized with each other, and the registration roller pair 19 feeds the electrostatic transfer belt 11.

The fixing section 20 is for fixing the toner images of a plurality of colors transferred onto the transfer material S, and includes a rotating heating roller 21a and a pressurizing member which presses the heating roller 21a to apply heat and pressure to the transfer material S. It consists of a roller 21b. That is, the transfer material S onto which the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 has been transferred is conveyed by the fixing roller pair 21 when passing through the fixing section 20, and is given heat and pressure by the fixing roller pair 21. As a result, the toner images of a plurality of colors are fixed on the surface of the transfer material S.

In the image forming operation, the process cartridges 7a to 7d are sequentially driven at the recording timing, and the photosensitive drums 1a to 1d are rotationally driven counterclockwise in response to the driving. Then, the scanner unit 3 corresponding to each process cartridge 7 is sequentially driven. By this driving, the charging device 2 applies a uniform charge to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1, and the scanner unit 3
Exposes the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in accordance with an image signal to form an electrostatic latent image on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1. The developing roller in the developing device 4 transfers the toner to the low potential portion of the electrostatic latent image to form (develop) a toner image on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1.

At the timing when the leading edge of the toner image on the peripheral surface of the most upstream photosensitive drum 1 is rotatably conveyed to the point of opposition to the electrostatic transfer belt 11, the recording start position of the transfer material S is set at the point of opposition. The pair of registration rollers 19 starts to rotate so that the transfer material S is fed to the electrostatic transfer belt 11 so as to coincide with each other. The transfer material S is pressed against the outer circumference of the electrostatic transfer belt 11 so as to be sandwiched between the electrostatic transfer roller 22 and the electrostatic transfer belt 11, and a voltage is applied between the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and the electrostatic transfer roller 22. When applied, electric charges are induced in the transfer material S, which is a dielectric, and the dielectric layer of the electrostatic transfer belt 11, and the transfer material is electrostatically attracted to the outer periphery of the electrostatic transfer belt 11. As a result, the transfer material S is stably attracted to the electrostatic transfer belt 11 and is conveyed to the most downstream transfer unit. While being conveyed in this way, the transfer material S is transferred to the respective photosensitive drums 1 and the transfer rollers.
The toner image on each photoconductor drum 1 is sequentially transferred by the electric field formed between the photoconductor drums 12 and 12. The transfer material S on which the four color toner images have been transferred is an electrostatic transfer belt due to the curvature of the driving roller 13.
Curvature is separated from 11 and carried into the fixing unit 20. Transfer material S
After the toner image is heat-fixed by the fixing unit 20, the toner image is discharged from the discharging unit 24 by the discharging roller pair 23 with the image side down.

(Process Cartridge) Next, the frame structure of the process cartridge 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the process cartridge 7 has a frame structure in which a cleaning unit 32 and a developing unit 33, which are separate bodies, are integrated. The cleaning unit 32 mainly includes a C container 28 that is a frame that rotatably supports the photosensitive drum 1. In the C container 28, in addition to the photosensitive drum 1, the surface of the C drum 28 with respect to the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is arranged. A C roller 35 that uniformly charges the toner and a cleaning blade 36 that collects the waste toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after development are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the process cartridge 7 has a frame structure in which a cleaning unit 26 and a developing unit 27, which are separate bodies, are integrated.
The cleaning unit 26 mainly comprises a C container 28, which is a frame for rotatably supporting the photosensitive drum 1, and the C container 28 includes the photosensitive drum 1 as well as the photosensitive drum 1.
A C roller 29 for uniformly charging the surface, a cleaning blade 30 for collecting waste toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after development, and the like are provided.

On the other hand, the frame structure of the developing unit 27 is such that a toner container 25, which is a developer container for storing toner as a developer, and a toner in the toner container 25 are developed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. A developing container 32, which is a frame body that rotatably supports the developing roller 31, is coupled by ultrasonic welding or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning unit 26
The developing unit 27 and the developing unit 27 are joined by inserting parallel pins (not shown) at both ends, and the developing unit 27 is swingably supported with respect to the cleaning unit 26 about the joining portion 33. Furthermore, the developing unit 27
As shown in FIG. 2, it is biased by the pressure spring 34,
As a result, the developing roller 31 is abutted against the photosensitive drum 1.

(Toner Seal Part of Developer Container) Next, the toner seal pull-out part of the toner container 25, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, in the opening 108 of the toner container 25 for storing the toner T, a toner seal 103 made of a transparent film member is provided over the entire length of the opening 108 in the unused state of the process cartridge 7. It is welded. The toner seal 103 is a toner container 25.
As shown in FIG. 5, the tip 110 of the folded toner seal 103 passes through the toner seal pull-out port 102 for pulling out the toner seal 103 from the toner container 25, and is integrated with the toner container 25. It is adhered to the handle portion 111 formed by the double-sided tape 112.

When using the process cartridge 7, the user folds the handle portion 111, then grasps the folded handle portion 111, and pulls out the toner seal 103 from the toner seal outlet 102. As a result, the welding surface of the toner seal 103 is peeled off from the toner container 25, and the toner T in the toner container 25 is spread to the developing container 32 side. Then, after the user completely pulls out the toner seal 103, the process cartridge 7 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 1.

When the toner seal 103 is pulled out from the toner container 25, the toner T is attached to the surface of the toner seal 103. In order to remove this toner, the toner container pull-out port 102 is provided with a toner container 2 as shown in FIG.
A cap member 101 separate from 5 is attached. The cap member 101 is made of an elastic member such as elastomer rubber and has a plurality of lip portions 109 for wiping off the toner on the surface of the toner seal 103 as shown in FIG.

This cap member 101 has been conventionally provided, and as shown in FIG. 14, it is pressed against the toner seal 103 in the attached state. And toner seal 103
When the toner is pulled out, as shown in FIG. 15, the toner seal 103 is rubbed against the lip portion 109 to wipe off the toner attached to the surface thereof. Further, the cap member 101 is press-fitted into the toner seal extraction port 102, so that the toner does not leak from between the cap member 101 and the toner seal extraction port 102.

However, as shown in FIG. 15, the toner seal
When pulling out 103, a force is applied in the direction of arrow C (see FIG. 15), which is the direction in which the cap member 101 falls off, and this causes the cap member 101 to fall off, and the toner leaks from the part that has fallen off, and There was a risk of soiling my hands and clothes. Even if the cap member 101 does not fall out, if the cap member 101 is displaced from its original mounting position, a gap is created between the toner seal pull-out port 102 and the cap member 101, and the toner also leaks from the gap. There was a risk that In addition, if the toner container is used as it is, the toner that has leaked is not sufficient to form an image over its original life, or the toner leaks into the main body of the image forming apparatus, which may cause a failure of the apparatus in the worst case. There was a risk of falling.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, a U-shaped window cutout portion 104, which is an elastic portion, is formed on the side surface of the toner seal pullout opening 102.
And a claw 106 is provided on the window cutout 104. The claw 106 is pressed by the side cover member 105 attached to the side surface of the toner container 25. With such a configuration, when the side cover member 105 is attached to the side surface of the toner container 25 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10,
The claw 106 of the window cutout 104 is pushed by the side cover member 105,
The root of the window cutout 104 is elastically bent in the direction of the cap member 101, and the window cutout 104 is located at a position that prevents the cap member 101 from falling out of the container 25. As a result, the window extraction portion 104 functions as a stopper for the cap member 101, and even when a force is applied in the direction in which the cap member 101 slips out when the toner seal 103 is pulled out, the cap member 101 slips out of the container 25 or the cap member 101 is removed. The 101 mounting position will not shift.

Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the developer container, the process cartridge and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a cover member according to the present embodiment, FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a mounting structure of the cover member, and FIG. The same reference numerals are given to the overlapping portions of and the description thereof will be omitted.

The first embodiment has been described as a structure in which the container main body is provided with the elastic portion in order to prevent the cap member from coming off, and is bent by being pushed by the cover member. However, in the present embodiment, the cap member is provided with a protrusion to prevent the cap member from falling off.

That is, as shown in FIG. 11, in this embodiment, the side cover member 105 is integrally provided with a protrusion 107. This protrusion 107 is shown on the side cover member 105.
When attached to the toner container 25 as shown in FIG. 12, it is formed so as to enter the toner seal extraction port 102 and be located outside the cap member 101 as shown in FIG.

With such a structure, the toner container
Simply attach the side cover member 105 to the side surface of 25,
The protrusion 107 can prevent the cap member 101 from falling off. As a result, when the toner seal 103 is pulled out, even if a force is applied in the direction in which the cap member 101 comes off, the cap member 101 comes off from the container 25 or the cap member 1
The mounting position of 01 will not shift.

Although the laser beam printer is used as the image forming apparatus in the above-mentioned nuclear embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, an electrophotographic system such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a word processor, or the like. Can be applied to the image forming apparatus. The present invention can be applied not only to the toner container attached to the process cartridge but also to a conventional image forming apparatus that does not use the process cartridge as long as it has a replaceable toner container.

[0035]

As described above, in the developer container, the process cartridge and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the container body is provided with the elastic portion which is bent by being pushed by the cover member, and the elastic portion is bent. Since the cap member is positioned so as to prevent it from falling out of the container, it is possible to reliably prevent the cap member from falling off or slipping when pulling out the seal member with an inexpensive and simple structure without increasing the number of parts. It becomes possible to do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view illustrating a configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a toner seal pull-out configuration of a developer container.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a toner seal pull-out configuration of a developer container.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the attachment of the cap member.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a cap member.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elastic portion.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elastic portion.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a main part in the vicinity of the cap member for explaining the action of the elastic part.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a cover member according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a mounting configuration of a cover member.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a main part near a cap member.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a main part near a cap member according to a conventional configuration.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a main part near a cap member according to a conventional configuration.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Photosensitive drum 2 ... Charging device 3 ... Scanner unit 4 ... Developer 5 ... Electrostatic transfer device 6 ... Cleaning device 7 ... Process cartridge 9 ... Polygon mirror 10… Imaging lens 11… Electrostatic transfer belt 12… Transfer roller 13… Drive roller 14 ... driven roller 14a ... driven roller 14b ... driven roller 15… Tension roller 16… Feeding department 17… Feed cassette 18… Feeding roller 19… Registration roller pair 20 ... Fixing unit 21… Fixing roller pair 21a ... Heating roller 21b ... Pressure roller 22… Electrostatic attraction roller 23… Ejection roller pair 24… Ejector 25… Toner container 26… Cleaning unit 27… Development unit 28… C container 29… C-roller 30… Cleaning blade 31… Developing roller 32 ... Development container 33… Coupling 34 ... Pressure spring 35… C roller 100 ... Image forming device 101… Cap member 102… Toner seal outlet 103… Toner seal 104 ... Window opener 105… Side cover member 106… nails 107 ... Protrusion 108… Opening 109… Lip part 110… Tip 111… Handle 112… Double-sided tape

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tatsuo Kawai             3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo             Non non corporation F term (reference) 2H077 AA02 AA06 AA07 AA09 AA35                       CA12 GA04

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A developer container for accommodating a developer, the opening for supplying the developer from the accommodating portion, a seal member for closing the opening, and a seal member for pulling out the seal member. An outlet, a separate cap member attached to the seal member outlet to wipe off the developer adhering to the seal member, and a cover member attached to the container body, the container body, A developer container is provided with an elastic portion that is pressed by the cover member to bend, and the elastic portion comes to a position that prevents the cap member from falling off from the developer container by bending. . 2. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the elastic portion is formed integrally with the container. 3. A developer container for accommodating a developer, the opening for supplying the developer from the accommodating portion, a seal member for closing the opening, and a seal member for pulling out the seal member. A cover member attached to the container main body, and a cover member attached to the container body for removing the developer adhering to the seal member; and a cover member attached to the container body. And the cover member is attached to the container, so that the protruding portion is located at a position that prevents the cap member from falling off from the developer container. 4. The developer container according to claim 3, wherein the protrusion is formed integrally with the cover member. 5. The cap member is an elastic member,
The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the developer container is press-fitted into the container body. 6. The cap member is an elastic member,
The developer container according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lip portions for wiping off the developer adhering to the surface of the seal member. 7. A process comprising: an image bearing member carrying a latent image; developing means for developing the latent image; and the developer container according to claim 1. cartridge. 8. An image carrier for carrying a latent image, a developing means for developing the latent image, the developer container according to claim 1, and the developed developer image. An image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer unit configured to transfer a transfer material onto which the image is transferred.