JP2004252174A - Developing device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a developing device in which settings for setup can easily be performed in a short period of time and to provide an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The developing device 1 is constituted by being provided with, in its housing 11, a developing roller which supplies developer 10 to an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor drum 12, and a developer stir section 3 which stores and stirs the developer 10. The developer stir section 3 includes: a first stir transport path 4 whose transport direction extends parallel to the shaft of the developing roller 2; a second stir transport path 5 which is disposed between the developing roller 2 and the first stir transport path 4 and whose transport direction extends parallel to the shaft of the developing roller 2 and is inverse to the transport direction of the first stir transport path 4; a partition wall 6 which is disposed between the stir transport paths 4 and 5 and has communicating parts 7a and 7b in both its ends; and detachable sealing members 8 closing the communicating parts 7a and 7b. The developing device 1 causes developer 10 to be filled into the first stir transport path 4 in a state in which the communicating parts 7a and 7b are sealed with the sealing members 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a developing device mounted on an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer.
[Prior art]
[0002]
2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method includes a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum. The developing device includes an agitating section for containing and agitating a two-component developer composed of a toner and a carrier, and a developing roller for supplying the developer to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum to visualize the developer.
[0003]
In order to facilitate the set-up of the developing device, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-163,087 proposes a device in which an initial developer is sealed in a stirring section of the developing device with a seal member at the time of shipment. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-163873 proposes an apparatus in which an initial developer is accommodated in a conveyance path for feeding a toner cartridge to a developing device main body.
[0004]
However, in the developing device proposed in Patent Literature 1, the sealing member for sealing the developing roller and the developer agitating section has a large area to be sealed, so that it becomes large as described below. Problem. That is, assuming that the seal member is removed at the time of the setup, when the seal member is slid in the lateral direction, the developer may leak. For this reason, a new sealing member is required to prevent leakage of the developer. In addition, a space must be secured outside the side surface of the developing device so that the seal member can be removed, and there are structural restrictions. Further, when the sealing member is slid in the vertical direction, a slit having a length of almost the entire width must be provided on the upper surface of the developing device, and the rigidity of the upper surface is extremely reduced due to the long slit. In order to increase the rigidity, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the resin material, provide ribs, or change to a metal material if the material is a resin material. Furthermore, after removing the sealing member, a sealing member for closing the long slit is required.
The developing device proposed in Patent Literature 2 has a problem in that the developer must be transported from the toner transport path to the developing device main body at the time of set-up, resulting in a time loss.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-30905 [Patent Document 2]
JP 2001-228688 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing device and an image forming apparatus that can easily and quickly set a developing device during setup.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The developing device of the present invention for solving the above problems has the following configuration. In the following (I) to (IV), the numbers in parentheses are the reference numerals of the corresponding members shown in the drawings and are exemplarily shown.
(I) A developing roller (2) for supplying a developer to an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum and a developer stirring section (3) for containing and stirring the developer are provided in a housing (11). A developing device (1) provided with a first stirring and conveying path (4) in which a developer conveying direction extends parallel to an axis of a developing roller (2). A developer conveying direction extending parallel to the axis of the developing roller (2) between the developing roller (2) and the first stirring / conveying path (4); 4) and a second stirring / conveying path (5) whose conveying direction is opposite to the first and second stirring / conveying paths (4, 5), and a first and second stirring / conveying path. A partition wall (6) provided with communication portions (7a, 7b) of (4, 5) at both ends and a removable sealing member (8) closing the communication portions (7a, 7b). Eteori, communication portion (7a, 7b) is in a state of being sealed by a sealing member (8), a developing device, wherein a developer is filled in the first agitation carry path (4).
[0008]
(II) The developing device according to (I), wherein the housing (11) is detachably mounted in the image forming apparatus.
(I) The method according to (I) or (II), wherein the volume of the developer filled in the first stirring and conveying path (4) is substantially the same as the free space volume of the first stirring and conveying path (4). The developing device as described in the above.
(IV) The developing device according to any one of (I) to (III), wherein a slit for removing the seal member (8) is provided on an upper surface of the housing (11).
[0009]
According to the developing device described in the above (I), since the seal member blocks only the communicating portions at both ends of the partition wall, the slit formed in the housing for removing the seal member may be small, so that the housing The rigidity does not decrease, and the seal member for closing the slit may be small. Further, since the developer is filled in the first stirring / conveying path, the seal member is removed at the time of set-up, and the first and second stirring / conveying paths are driven so that the first and second stirring / conveying paths can be moved. Since the developer is circulated through the communicating portion and agitated, the driving time of the developing device does not become redundant, and the setting of the developing device at the time of set-up can be performed easily and in a short time.
[0010]
According to the developing device described in the above (II), transportation and distribution can be performed while the developer is filled in the agitating / conveying portion, so that the cost is reduced.
[0011]
According to the developing device described in the above (III), the volume of the developer filled in the first stirring / conveying path is made substantially the same as the free space volume of the first stirring / conveying path, so that the developer before use can be used. The reference amount of the developer can be charged only by filling the first stirring and conveying path with the developer without weighing the initial developer in advance.
[0012]
According to the developing device described in the above (IV), the slit for removing the seal member is provided on the upper surface of the housing, and the seal member is removed in the vertical direction from the slit, so that there is no fear of leakage of the developer. .
[0013]
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes the developing device according to any one of the above (I) to (IV).
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
1 and 2 are a horizontal sectional view and a vertical sectional view, respectively, showing a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the developing device 1 includes a developing roller 2 for supplying a developer 10 to an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum 12 and a developing roller 2 for containing and agitating the developer 10. The agent stirring section 3 is provided in the housing 11.
[0015]
The developer stirring section 3 includes a first stirring / conveying path 4 in which the conveying direction of the developer 10 extends parallel to the axis of the developing roller 2, and a first stirring / conveying path 4 between the developing roller 2 and the first stirring / conveying path 4. The communicating portions 7a and 7b are provided between a second stirring and conveying path 5 whose conveying direction of the developer extends parallel to the axis of the developing roller 2 and the first and second stirring and conveying paths 4 and 5. A partition 6 provided at both ends and a detachable sealing member 8 for closing the first and second stirring and conveying paths 4 and 5 are provided in the communicating portions 7a and 7b. In a state where the communicating portions 7a and 7b are sealed by the seal member 8, the first and second stirring and conveying paths 4 and 5 are separated by the partition 6, and the developer 10 is transferred to the first stirring and conveying path 4 Is filled.
[0016]
Spiral rollers 4a and 5a are provided in the first and second stirring and conveying paths 4 and 5, respectively. The spiral rollers 4a and 5a are configured to be rotationally driven by a rotational drive source (not shown) and to transport the developer 10 in opposite directions (the transport direction is indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 1).
[0017]
The partition 6 is interposed between the first and second stirring and conveying paths 4 and 5 so as to extend in parallel to the axis of the developing roller 2, and the developer 10 is provided at both ends with the first and second stirring and conveying paths. Communication parts 7a and 7b for circulating between 4 and 5 are provided. The widths of the communication portions 7a and 7b may be large enough to prevent the developer 10 from circulating in the first and second stirring conveyance paths 4 and 5. On the other hand, if the width of the communication portions 7a and 7b is large, the seal member 8 becomes large, and the interval between the slits 9 for removing the seal member 8 becomes large, so that the rigidity of the housing may be extremely reduced. The partition 6 is preferably formed integrally with the housing 11 using a synthetic resin material.
[0018]
Since the communication portions 7a and 7b are closed by the seal member 8, the developer 10 is sealed in the first stirring and conveying path 4 before the start of use, that is, at the stage of shipping and distribution.
[0019]
When the developer 10 is filled therein, the volume of the filled developer 10 is changed to the free space volume of the first stirring transport path 4 (that is, the first stirring transport path 4). (The volume of the space excluding the volume of the structure such as the spiral roller 4a) from the total volume).
[0020]
By pulling out the seal member 8 from the slit 9 provided on the upper surface of the developing device 1 during setup, the first stirring and conveying path 4 is opened. Next, by rotating the spiral rollers 4a and 5a in the opposite directions, the developer 10 is sent from the first stirring and conveying path 4 to the second stirring and conveying path 5 through the communicating portion 7a, and the spiral roller 5a is rotated. The developer 10 is evenly supplied to the developing roller 2 while stirring, and the remaining developer 10 is sent to the first stirring and conveying path 4 through the communication portion 7b, and the inside of the developer stirring portion 3 is indicated by an arrow A. The developer 10 is circulated in the direction. The developer 10 can also be circulated by rotating the spiral blades of the spiral rollers 4a and 5a in opposite directions and rotating the blades in the same direction.
[0021]
The developing roller 2 is installed in front of the developing device 1 and faces the photosensitive drum 12 from an opening 13 of the developing device 1. Then, the developing roller 2 supplies the developer 10 stored in the developer stirring section 3 to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 12 while adjusting the transport amount, and visualizes the electrostatic latent image.
[0022]
The developer 10 used in the developing device 1 of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a commonly used two-component developer composed of a toner and a carrier.
[0023]
Next, a setup method using the developing device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. After removing the seal member 8 from the slit 9 provided on the upper surface of the developing device 1 in a state where the communication portions 7 a and 7 b are closed by the seal member 8 and the first stirring and conveying path 4 is sealed, the developing device 1 Is set at a predetermined mounting position in the image forming apparatus. Alternatively, after the developing device 1 is set, the seal member 8 may be removed. After removing the seal member 8, the slit 9 is closed with the seal member. Next, when the spiral rollers 4a and 5a are driven to rotate, the developer 10 circulates through the communication portions 7a and 7b while being stirred between the first and second stirring conveyance paths 4 and 5. The developer 10 agitated and circulated by the developer agitator 3 is supplied to the developing roller 2 and supplied to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 12 while adjusting the transport amount by a metering blade (not shown). Visualize the latent image.
[0024]
In the above embodiment, the developing roller 2 and the stirring and conveying unit 3 are provided in the housing 11, but the housing 11 is divided into the developing roller unit 2 and the developer stirring unit 3, and these can be detachably connected. You may do so.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the developing device of this invention, only by removing the seal member in a housing, it can be easily and quickly attached to an image forming apparatus without leakage of a developer, and the slit width for removing a seal member is also short. Therefore, there is an effect that a reduction in rigidity is prevented, and a sealing member for closing the slit may be short.
Further, according to the developing device of the second aspect, since the developer can be transported and distributed in a state where the developer is sealed in the first stirring and conveying path by the seal member, the cost can be reduced.
Further, according to the developing device of the third aspect, the volume of the developer filled in the first stirring and conveying path is formed so as to be substantially the same as the free space volume of the first stirring and conveying path. Thus, it is only necessary to fill the first stirring and conveying path with the developer, and it is not necessary to weigh the amount of the initial developer in advance.
Further, according to the developing device of the present invention, a slit for removing the seal member is provided on the upper surface of the housing, and the seal member is removed from the slit in the vertical direction, so that there is no fear of leakage of the developer. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view showing a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a developing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 developing device 2 developing roller 3 developer stirring section 4 first stirring and conveying path 5 second stirring and conveying path 6 partition 7 a communication section 7 b communication section 8 sealing member 9 slit 10 developer 11 housing 12 photosensitive drum

Claims (5)

A developing device in which a developing roller for supplying a developer to an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum and a developer stirring unit for containing and stirring the developer are provided in a housing.
A first stirring and conveying path in which the developer stirring section extends in a direction in which the developer is conveyed in parallel with the axis of the developing roller;
A direction in which the developer is conveyed extends parallel to the axis of the developing roller between the developing roller and the first stirring and conveying path, and the conveying direction is opposite to the direction of the first stirring and conveying path. 2 stirring conveyance path,
A partition wall interposed between the first and second stirring and conveying paths, and having a communication portion of the first and second stirring and conveying paths at both ends;
A removable seal member that blocks the communication portion,
The developing device is characterized in that the developer is filled in the first stirring and conveying path in a state where the communication portion is closed by a seal member. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is detachably mounted in the image forming apparatus. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein a volume of the developer filled in the first stirring and conveying path is substantially equal to a free space volume of the first stirring and conveying path. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein a slit for removing the seal member is provided on an upper surface of the housing. An image forming apparatus comprising the developing device according to claim 1.

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