JP2005258024A - Process cartridge and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a process cartridge capable of preventing scattering of toner into the apparatus and preventing the occurrence of biasing of a sheet due to the drop of gripping force of a conveyance roller and a jam arising from the deposition of toner to the conveyance roller etc. <P>SOLUTION: The process cartridge of an electrophotographic system replenishes the toner by mounting a toner bottle packed with the toner to the process cartridge. The toner bottle has a handle for mounting the toner bottle on the process cartridge and is so constituted that the handle is retreated to the recessed part of the process cartridge when the toner bottle is mounted on the process cartridge. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that records image information using toner in a printer, copying machine, facsimile, etc., and relates to a process cartridge having a function of enclosing toner in a container and replenishing the toner to the main body. .

  Conventionally, several image forming apparatuses have been proposed in which a toner cartridge can be attached to and detached from a process cartridge while the process cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus. These image forming apparatuses can be roughly classified into two types depending on whether the direction in which the process cartridge and the toner cartridge are attached to the image forming apparatus and the process cartridge is perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge.

  1) Both are parallel. As shown in FIG. 9, the front cover 4 of the image forming apparatus 3 is opened, and both the process cartridge 1 and the toner cartridge 2 are mounted in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge. In this case, a large hole 6 larger than the projection surface of the process cartridge 1 is required on the side plate 5, and the strength of the side plate 5 inside the apparatus of the front cover 4 is insufficient. Therefore, another part that reinforces the lack of strength is required, resulting in an increase in cost.

  In addition, since a sealing material for preventing toner leakage from the connecting portion between the toner supply port of the toner cartridge and the toner passage port of the process cartridge is attached around the toner passage port of the process cartridge, When the toner cartridge is attached / detached in the longitudinal direction, it is moved by the length in the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge against the crushing reaction force of the entire longitudinal region of the sealing material, and the amount of work is very large.

  2) The direction in which the process cartridge 1 is attached to the image forming apparatus 3 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge 2, and the direction in which the toner cartridge 2 is attached to the process cartridge 1 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge 2. The case is as shown in FIG. The process cartridge 1 is mounted in such a direction that the upper cover 8 of the image forming apparatus 3 is opened and dropped into the apparatus interior 3a.

  On the other hand, the toner cartridge 2 is attached to the process cartridge 1 through the hole 7 provided in the side plate 5 of the image forming apparatus 3 with the front cover 4 of the image forming apparatus 3 opened. Compared with the case of 1), it is sufficient that the toner cartridge 2 having a projection surface smaller than that of the process cartridge 1 passes through. Therefore, the hole formed in the side plate 5 of the image forming apparatus 3 is small, and the strength of the side plate 5 is maintained. It is.

  However, the amount of work required for attaching / detaching the toner cartridge 2 to / from the process cartridge 1 is large as in 1), and the attaching / detaching directions of the process cartridge 1 and the toner cartridge 2 are different, which complicates the operability for the user.

  3) Therefore, in recent years, as a method improved from 2), a method in which the process cartridge and the toner cartridge are mounted in the image forming apparatus and the process cartridge, respectively, is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge. ing. This method is shown in FIG.

  The process cartridge 1 is attached to and detached from the inside 3a of the image forming apparatus 3 in the direction of dropping by opening the upper cover 8 of the image forming apparatus 3. Similarly, the toner cartridge 2 is attached to the process cartridge 1 with the upper cover 8 opened. In this method, the length for inserting the toner cartridge 2 into the process cartridge 1 is extremely short, and the amount of work required for mounting is very small against the reaction force of the sealing material in the process cartridge 1. Further, since the mounting direction of the toner cartridge 2 and the process cartridge 1 is the same, the user's operation is simple.

  However, even in the above method 3), when the toner cartridge is attached to or detached from the process cartridge mounted on the image forming apparatus, the entire longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge passes over the inside of the apparatus. Even if the toner cartridge has a shutter that closes the toner discharge port, the toner attached to the shutter is likely to fall into the apparatus.

  The process cartridge and the toner cartridge are arranged at the upper part of the apparatus for the purpose of exchanging them, and the conveying means for conveying the sheet is arranged at the lower part of the apparatus. Therefore, the toner dropped from the toner cartridge is transferred to the conveying means. When toner accumulates on the conveying roller that conveys the sheet while sandwiching the sheet, a problem that causes skewing of the sheet and JAM due to a decrease in the gripping force of the conveying roller is assumed.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent toner from scattering into the apparatus and to prevent sheet skew and JAM from occurring due to a decrease in gripping force of the conveying roller caused by toner accumulation on the conveying roller or the like. Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus that can perform the above process.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic process cartridge that replenishes toner by attaching a toner bottle filled with toner to the process cartridge. It has a handle for mounting on a cartridge, and when the toner bottle is mounted on the process cartridge, the handle can be retracted into a recess of the process cartridge.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the handle can be rotated and retracted into the recess of the process cartridge.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the toner bottle has a protrusion smaller than the handle, and the toner bottle is rotated using the protrusion to move the handle to the process. It can be moved out of the recess of the cartridge.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 2, wherein the toner bottle has a toner discharge port to the process cartridge, and the process cartridge has a toner inflow port from the toner bottle, When the toner bottle is attached to the process cartridge and the handle is retracted in the recess of the process cartridge, the toner discharge port and the toner inflow port communicate with each other.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the process cartridge has a lever whose position changes depending on the presence or absence of the toner bottle, and the toner bottle is not attached. A part of the lever interferes with a rib or a surface of the image forming apparatus main body, and the process cartridge cannot be mounted on the image forming apparatus main body.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the direction in which the toner bottle is attached to and detached from the process cartridge and the direction in which the process cartridge is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus are the toner. It is a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bottle.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus is configured including the process cartridge according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.

According to the present invention, the process cartridge and the toner cartridge are mounted on the image forming apparatus in such a manner that the mounting directions of the process cartridge and the toner cartridge are respectively perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge. By preventing the toner cartridge from being attached to and detached from the process cartridge in the state, it is possible to prevent the toner from scattering into the apparatus. Preventing toner scattering has a great effect in preventing sheet skew and JAM from occurring due to a decrease in gripping force of the conveying roller caused by toner accumulation on the conveying roller or the like.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toner bottle according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a process cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  The toner bottle 2 has a slit 2b in the longitudinal direction in the cylindrical portion 2a. The toner accommodated in the toner bottle 2 is conveyed from the slit 2b into the process cartridge 1 through the slit 1b of the process cartridge 1. FIG. 1 shows the toner bottle 2 in a state in which a tape (not shown) that has sealed the slit 2b is peeled off and is to be attached to the process cartridge 1 from now on. The user U holds the handle 2c of the toner bottle 2 so that the open slit 2b faces upward so that the toner in the toner bottle 2 does not come out.

  The toner bottle 2 is dropped from above into the entrance 1c which is widely opened in the toner bottle mounting cylinder 1a of the process cartridge 1. Next, the toner bottle 2 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the handle 2 c of the toner bottle 2 is retracted into the recess 1 d of the process cartridge 1. Then, as shown in FIG. Since the handle 2c is recessed from the surrounding surface 1f, it cannot be gripped with the toner bottle 2 in this state. This completes the mounting of the toner bottle 2 to the process cartridge 1.

  Next, when the process cartridge 1 is mounted on the image forming apparatus, the user performs a process by holding the handle 1e protruding from the toner bottle mounting cylinder 1a of the process cartridge 1.

  On the other hand, when the toner bottle 2 is replaced, when removing it from the process cartridge 1, the handle 2c is raised by rotating the 2d provided on the surface of the cylindrical portion 2a of the toner bottle 2 in the direction opposite to the arrow. The toner bottle 2 is removed from the process cartridge 1 after being held.

  Next, how the slit 2b of the toner bottle 2 communicates with the slit 1b of the process cartridge 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the toner bottle 2 is dropped into the process cartridge 1 with the slit 2b of the toner bottle 2 facing upward. The slit 2b is positioned with a phase difference of about 90 degrees from the slit 1b. When the handle 2c is grasped and turned counterclockwise, the state shown in FIG. 5 is obtained. At this time, the slit 2 b communicates with the slit 1 b of the process cartridge 1. In conjunction with the operation of hiding the handle 2c, the slit 2b and the slit 1b are communicated, and the process cartridge 1 is ready for image formation.

<Embodiment 2>
However, when a process cartridge without a toner bottle can be attached to the image forming apparatus, the user who forgot to attach the toner bottle images the toner bottle with the toner bottle slit opened. Bring it onto the forming device and you will be ready to attach the toner bottle to the process cartridge. In such a case, there is a concern about the toner falling from the toner bottle.

  Therefore, a means for preventing the process cartridge without the toner bottle from being mounted on the image forming apparatus will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a lever 1g having a "<" shape that rotates about a shaft 1k is attached to the toner bottle mounting cylinder 1a of the process cartridge 2. A spring 1h is attached to one end of the lever 1g, and the lever 1g is urged against the stopper 1j of the toner bottle mounting cylinder 1a in the counter-rotating direction. In this state, if the process cartridge 2 is to be mounted on the image forming apparatus, the G portion protruding out of the lever 1g interferes with the inside 3a of the image forming apparatus 3, so that it cannot be mounted at the proper position.

  Further, even when the toner bottle 2 is in the toner bottle mounting cylinder 1a or when the communication between the slit 2b and the slit 1b is incomplete, the image forming apparatus 3 of the process cartridge 1 is the same as in FIG. Cannot be attached to.

  On the other hand, in a state where the toner bottle 2 enters the toner bottle mounting cylinder 1a and the communication between the slit 2b and the slit 1b is complete, when the inclined surface 2e provided in the cylinder 2a rotates, the lever 1g on the toner bottle side is rotated. By rotating one end H clockwise, the G section can be retracted so as not to interfere with the inside 3 a of the image forming apparatus 3.

  The present invention is applicable to a process cartridge having a function of enclosing toner in a container and supplying the toner to a main body, and an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile machine including the process cartridge.

1 is a perspective view of a toner cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a process cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. . FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a toner bottle mounting operation to a process cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a toner bottle mounting operation to a process cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a toner bottle mounting operation to a process cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an operation for attaching a toner bottle to a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an operation for attaching a toner bottle to a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an operation for attaching a toner bottle to a process cartridge of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an operation of mounting a toner cartridge to an image forming apparatus for explaining a conventional example. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an operation of mounting a toner cartridge to an image forming apparatus for explaining a conventional example. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an operation of mounting a toner cartridge to an image forming apparatus for explaining a conventional example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Process cartridge 2 Toner cartridge 3 Image forming apparatus 4 Front cover 5 Side plate 6 Hole 7 Hole 8 Top cover

Claims (7)

In an electrophotographic process cartridge that replenishes toner by attaching a toner bottle filled with toner to the process cartridge,
The toner bottle has a handle for mounting on the process cartridge, and when the toner bottle is mounted on the process cartridge, the handle can be retracted into a recess of the process cartridge. .   The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the handle can be rotated and retracted into a recess of the process cartridge.   The toner bottle has a protrusion smaller than the handle, and the toner bottle can be rotated using the protrusion to move the handle out of the recess of the process cartridge. Item 3. A process cartridge according to Item 2.   The toner bottle has a toner discharge port to the process cartridge, the process cartridge has a toner inlet from the toner bottle, the toner bottle is attached to the process cartridge, and the handle is attached to the process cartridge. 3. The process cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the toner discharge port and the toner inflow port communicate with each other when retracted in the concave portion of the cartridge.   The process cartridge has a lever whose position changes depending on the presence or absence of the toner bottle. When the toner bottle is not attached, a part of the lever interferes with a rib or a surface of the image forming apparatus main body, The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge cannot be attached to the image forming apparatus main body.   6. The attaching / detaching direction of the toner bottle to / from the process cartridge and the attaching / detaching direction of the process cartridge to / from the image forming apparatus are directions perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the toner bottle. The process cartridge according to the above.   An image forming apparatus comprising the process cartridge according to claim 1.

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