JP2006011215A - Development device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a development device capable of adjusting developer around a developing roll, using a simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: The development device 40 includes the developing roll 60; a developing chamber 70, in which the developing roll is disposed; a restricting member 68 for temporarily restricting the supply of fresh developer to the developing roll 60; a developer storage chamber 62 separated from the developing chamber 70 by the restricting member 68 and having capacity greater than the developing chamber 70; and a stir conveyance member 64, disposed in the developer storage chamber 62 and used for conveying the developer, while stirring it. By the use of a stir conveyance member drive gear for driving the stir conveyance member 64, a follower gear disposed opposite the stir conveyance member drive gear, and a drive gear disposed opposite the follower gear and adapted to drive the restricting member 68, the restricting member 68 intermittently rotates, in synchronization with the stir conveyance member 64 and stops so as to separate the developer storage chamber 62 and the developing chamber 70 from each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a developing device provided with a mechanism for optimizing a developer around a developing roll, and an image forming apparatus having the developing device.

  As this type of developing device, one that peels off the developer on the developing roll after passing through the developing region is known. For example, in patent document 1, it has a developing roll, a member which peels a developer from a developing roll, and a stirring conveyance member which supplies a developer to a developing roll part, and has a developer peeling part and a resupply part. A developing device is disclosed that is separated by a partition member and in which each region has an opening facing the stirring and conveying member.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-142943

  However, when the capacity of the developer becomes large, a new developer is excessively supplied to the developer charging portion due to the change of the internal pressure due to the developer's own weight or the stirring / conveying member. Alternatively, the blade linear pressure becomes unstable and a development ghost is generated. Further, when the peeling on the slave surface with the peeling member is insufficient, the development ghost may occur similarly.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a developing device capable of optimizing the developer around the developing roll with a simple configuration.

  In order to achieve the above object, the first feature of the present invention is that a developing roll, a developer supplying means for supplying a new developer to the developing roll, and the developing roll from the developer supplying means. And a regulating member that temporarily regulates the supply of the new developer to the developing device.

  Preferably, the image forming apparatus further includes a developing chamber provided with the developing roll, and a developer containing chamber separated from the developing chamber by the regulating member and having a larger capacity than the developing chamber.

  Preferably, the restricting member rotates intermittently. Preferably, the regulating member rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the developing roll or the developer supply means.

  In addition, preferably, a drive unit that drives the regulating member is provided, and the regulating member is temporarily stopped by the driving unit. Preferably, the drive means includes a drive gear having a tooth missing portion, a driven gear opposed to the drive gear, and a latch means for temporarily stopping the drive gear.

  Furthermore, the present invention includes an image forming apparatus having a developing device having the above-described characteristics.

  Preferably, the apparatus further includes an environment detection unit that detects an environmental state, and a control unit that controls the driving of the restriction member according to the environmental state detected by the environment detection unit. Preferably, the image processing apparatus further includes an image density detection unit that detects a density of an image to be printed, and a control unit that controls driving of the restriction member based on the image density detected by the image density detection unit.

  According to the present invention, the developer around the developing roll can be optimized with a simple configuration.

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a side surface of an image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes an image forming apparatus main body 12, and includes, for example, a one-stage sheet feeding tray 14 below the image forming apparatus main body 12. Further, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a paper discharge tray 16 formed integrally with the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body 12. A feed roll 18 that supplies recording paper from the paper feed tray 14 and a retard roll 20 that sprinkles the supplied paper one by one are arranged at the upper part near the rear end of the paper feed tray 14.

  The paper transport path 22 is a paper path from the feed roll 18 to the discharge roll 24, and this paper transport path 22 is in the vicinity of the back surface (right side surface in FIG. 1) of the image forming apparatus main body 12. To a heating roll 26 and a pressure roll 28 which will be described later. A transfer roll 30, which will be described later, is disposed on the upstream side of the heating roll 26 and the pressure roll 28 in the paper conveyance path 22, and a registration roll 32 is disposed on the upstream side of the transfer roll 30.

  Accordingly, the recording paper fed from the paper feed tray 14 by the feed roll 18 is rolled by the retard roll 20 and only the uppermost recording paper is guided to the paper transport path 22 and is temporarily stopped by the registration roll 32 to take timing. Then, a developer image is transferred between a photosensitive member 34 and a transfer roll 30 which will be described later, and the transferred developer image is fixed by a heating roll 26 and a pressure roll 28, and is discharged from a discharge port by a discharge roll 24. The paper is discharged to a paper discharge tray 16 provided at the top of the image forming apparatus main body 12. The paper discharge tray 16 has a low discharge port portion (near the discharge roll 24) and is inclined so as to gradually increase toward the front surface direction (left direction in FIG. 1).

  In the image forming apparatus main body 12, for example, a process cartridge 36 (exchange unit) is detachably provided at a substantially central portion. The process cartridge 36 contains a photoconductor 34, a charging roll 38 that uniformly charges the photoconductor 34, and a developer, and a developing device 40 that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor 34 with the developer. It is an integrated one. The process cartridge 36 has a cleaning blade 42 that scrapes off the developer remaining on the photoconductor 34 and a developer recovery that collects the scraped developer upstream of the charging roller 38 in the rotation direction of the photoconductor 34. A bottle 44 is provided.

  Above the process cartridge 36, an exposure device 46 for writing a latent image on the charged photosensitive member 34 with a laser beam is arranged. The exposure device 46 is provided with a laser emitter 48 that blinks laser light according to input image data, and a folding mirror 50 that guides the laser light emitted from the laser emitter 48 in the direction of the photosensitive member 34. Has been.

  On the front surface of the image forming apparatus main body 12, a small cover 54 that is rotatably supported by the image forming apparatus main body 12 by a small cover hinge 52 is provided. In addition, an open / close cover 56 that can be opened and closed around the area opened and closed by the small cover 54 is provided. The user can replace the replacement unit and perform jam processing by opening the open / close cover 56 and the small cover 54 together to ensure a large opening on the front surface of the image forming apparatus main body 12.

  A transfer roll 30 is opposed to the photosensitive member 34 of the process cartridge 36 with the paper transport path 22 interposed therebetween. That is, the transfer position of the developer image is between the transfer roll 30 and the photoconductor 34, and the transfer roll 30 transfers the developer image formed on the photoconductor 34 to the recording paper at this transfer position.

  Above the transfer position, fixing means comprising a heating roll 26 and a pressure roll 28 is disposed. The heating roll 26 and the pressure roll 28 fix the developer image transferred onto the recording paper by the transfer roll 30 and convey it toward the discharge roll 24.

In FIG. 2, a side view of the developing device 40 is shown.
The developing device 40 is opposed to the developing device case 58 and the photosensitive member 34, a developing roll 60 that supplies developer to the photosensitive member 34, a developing chamber 70 in which the developing roll is provided, and the developing roller 60. A regulating member 68 that temporarily regulates the supply of a new developer, a developer containing chamber 62 that is separated from the developing chamber 70 by the regulating member 68 and has a larger capacity than the developing chamber 70, and the developer containing chamber 62 An agitating / conveying member 64 that is provided and agitates and conveys the developer, and a layer thickness regulating member 72 that regulates the layer thickness of the developer attached to the surface of the developing roll 60.

  The stirring and conveying member 64 is provided with an elastic portion 66 having flexibility. The agitating / conveying member 64 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2 in the developing device 40 such that the driving force is transmitted from a driving source (not shown) and the elastic portion 66 contacts the developing device case 58. The agitating / conveying member 64 constitutes a developer supply unit that supplies a new developer to the developing roll 60. The regulating member 68 is intermittently rotated in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, and is provided so as to separate the developing chamber 70 and the developer containing chamber 62 by a blade portion to be described later in the stop state. As is well known, the developing roll 60 is formed by winding a sleeve around a magnet roll, and rotates in the direction of the arrow in the figure. The layer thickness regulating member 72 is made of, for example, a resin, is provided so as to contact the developing roll 60, and is fixed to the developing device case 58 by a layer thickness regulating member fastener 74. The restricting member 68 is not limited to one that rotates in the direction of the arrow, and may be one that rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow.

In FIG. 3, a perspective view of the regulating member 68 is shown.
The restricting member 68 includes a support shaft 76 and, for example, three blade portions 78a to 78c made of, for example, resin, metal, or mylar. The restricting member 68 is driven by driving means described later and rotates around the support shaft 76.

In FIG. 4, driving means for rotating the regulating member 68 is shown, (a) is a side view of the driving means, and (b) is a front view showing a part of the driving means and the regulating member.
The driving means rotates the stirring / conveying member 64, the stirring / conveying member driving gear 80, the driving gear 82 facing the stirring / conveying member driving gear 80, the driving gear 82 facing the driving gear 82, and the regulating member 68 rotating. And a driven gear 86 to be driven. The drive gear 82 is provided with a first claw portion 84. This 1st nail | claw part 84 gives the opportunity to rotate again to the driven gear 86 in a temporarily stopped state. The driving gear 82 may be opposed to a gear (not shown) that rotates the developing roll 60 in a steady manner, for example, instead of the stirring conveyance member driving gear 80.

The driven gear 86 has, for example, three tooth missing portions 88 a to 88 c that temporarily block the driving force from the driving gear 82. The driven gear 86 cannot mesh with the drive gear 82 at the position of the tooth missing portion 88 and temporarily stops rotating.
The driven gear 86 is connected to a latch main body 94 that maintains the stopped state of the driven gear 86 and a second claw main body 90 that rotates the driven gear 86 again from the stopped state.
For example, three latch portions 96a to 96c are provided on the circular edge of the latch portion main body 94, and the latch portions 96a to 96c are formed so as to be recessed with respect to the circular edge. Further, a fixing member 98 made of, for example, resin or metal is provided so as to abut on the circular edge of the latch portion main body 94. When the fixing member 98 is fitted into any of the latch portions 96a to 96c, the driven gear 86 can be maintained in a stopped state.
The second claw portion main body 90 is provided with, for example, three second claw portions 92a to 92c, and any one of the second claw portions 92a to 92c meshes with the first claw portion 84, The driven gear 86 can be rotated again from the stopped state.
Further, the tooth missing portion 88a, the second claw portion 92a, and the latch portion 96a are provided at corresponding positions. Similarly, the missing tooth portion 88b, the second claw portion 92b, and the latch portion 96b correspond to each other, and the missing tooth portion 88c, the second claw portion 92c, and the latch portion 96c correspond to each other.

  The support shaft 76 of the regulating member 68 appears outside the developing device 40 through an opening provided in the developing device case 58 and is connected to the driven gear 86. Further, the support shaft 76 of the regulating member 68 is supported by the developing device case 58 by the fastener 100.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.
When the image forming signal is sent, the photosensitive member 34 is uniformly charged by the charging roll 38, and light is emitted from the exposure device 46 to the charged photosensitive member 34 based on the image signal. The light beam from the exposure device 46 exposes the surface of the photoconductor 34 to form a latent image. The latent image of the photoreceptor 34 formed by the exposure device 46 is developed with a developer by the developing roll 60.

  On the other hand, the recording paper stored in the paper feed tray 14 by the paper feed signal or the like is sent out by the feed roll 18, is turned by the retard roll 20, is guided to the paper transport path 22, and is temporarily stopped by the registration roll 32, It is guided between the photoconductor 34 and the transfer roll 30 with timing. When the recording sheet is guided between the photoreceptor 34 and the transfer roll 30, the developer image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 34 is transferred to the recording sheet by the transfer roll 30. After the transfer, the residual developer remaining on the photoreceptor 34 is scraped off and collected by the cleaning blade 42.

  The recording paper to which the developer image has been transferred is guided between the heating roll 26 and the pressure roll 28, and the developer image is fixed by thermal pressure. The recording sheet on which the developer image is fixed is discharged from the discharge port to the discharge tray 16 by the discharge roll 24.

  The developer in the developer accommodating chamber 62 is agitated and conveyed when the agitating / conveying member 64 is driven by the agitating / conveying member driving gear 80 and rotates in the developer accommodating chamber 62. When the stirring / conveying member driving gear 80 rotates, the driving gear 82 rotates in the same manner because the driving gear 82 is disposed so as to mesh with the stirring / conveying member driving gear 80. When the drive gear 82 is rotated, the driven gear 86 is disposed so as to be engaged with the drive gear 82, so that it rotates. As shown in FIG. Stops rotating because does not engage. At this time, the fixing member 98 is fitted into the latch portion 96b corresponding to the tooth missing portion 88b blocking the driving force from the driving gear 82, and the stopped state of the driven gear 86 is maintained.

  In a state where the driven gear 86 stops rotating, for example, the second claw portion 92 b corresponding to the tooth missing portion 88 b faces the drive gear 82, and the first claw portion 84 provided on the drive gear 82. Sufficient position to engage. When the drive gear 82 rotates and the first claw portion 84 meshes with the second claw portion 92b, the teeth of the driven gear 86 and the teeth of the drive gear 82 are engaged again, and the driven gear 86 moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Start spinning. At this time, the fixing member 98 is detached from the latch portion 96b by the rotation of the latch portion main body 94, and comes into contact with the circular edge of the rotating latch portion main body 94.

  Subsequently, when the drive gear 82 rotates, the driven gear 86 rotates as a result of the meshing of the teeth. However, since the teeth do not mesh at the location where the tooth missing portion 88a is provided, the driven gear 86 stops rotating again. At this time, the fixing member 98 is fitted in the latch portion 96a corresponding to the tooth missing portion 88a to maintain the stopped state of the driven gear 86, and the second claw portion 92a corresponding to the tooth missing portion 88a faces the drive gear 82. To do. When the drive gear 82 rotates and the first claw 84 engages with the second claw 92a, the teeth of the driven gear 86 and the teeth of the drive gear 82 are engaged again, and the driven gear 86 starts to rotate.

  Further, the driven gear 86 rotates as the drive gear 82 rotates. However, since the teeth do not mesh at the portion where the tooth missing portion 88c is provided, the driven gear 86 similarly stops rotating again. Then, when the drive gear 82 rotates and the first claw portion 84 engages with the second claw portion 92c, the driven gear 86 starts to rotate again.

  That is, when the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80 and the driving gear 82 meshing with the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80 make one rotation, the driven gear 86 rotates by one third. In the driven gear 86, after the teeth of the driven gear 86 and the teeth of the drive gear 82 are not engaged by any of the tooth missing portions 88a to 88c, the first claw portion 84 disposed in the drive gear 82 is the next. The rotation is stopped until any of the second claw portions 92a to 92c is engaged. In this way, the driven gear 86 rotates intermittently.

  Since the regulating member 68 is connected to the driven gear 86, it rotates intermittently in the same manner as the driven gear 86. That is, when the stirring and conveying member 64 rotates once, the regulating member 68 rotates one third. While the regulating member 68 is stopped, as shown in FIG. 2, the developer accommodating chamber 62 and the developing chamber 70 are separated by the blade portions 78 a to 78 c provided on the regulating member 68 and the developing device case 58. . Even in this state, the developer is agitated and conveyed by the agitating and conveying member 64, but the supply of a new developer to the developing chamber 70 is restricted by the regulating member 68. While the restricting member 68 is rotating, the restricting member 68 is rotated to form an opening that communicates the developer containing chamber 62 and the developing chamber 70, and the new developer is fed into the developing chamber by the stirring and conveying member 64. Then, the toner is conveyed toward the developing chamber 70 and supplied to the developing chamber 70. Further, since the regulating member 68 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2, the developer held in the space formed by any two of the blade portions 78a to 78c and the developing device case 58 is removed from the developing chamber. 70.

  In this way, excessive supply of new developer to the periphery of the developing roll 60 is suppressed, and the developer around the developing roll 60 is optimized. In addition, since the developer supplied by the stirring and conveying member 64 is regulated by the regulating member 68, the internal pressure around the layer thickness regulating member 72 is substantially set regardless of the amount of developer accommodated in the developing chamber 70. Can be constant. Further, since the regulating member 68 rotates intermittently, the developer flow around the layer thickness regulating member 72 is stabilized.

Next, an image forming apparatus 10 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In FIG. 5, a driving means for rotating the regulating member 68 is shown. In FIG. 5, the same reference numerals are given to substantially the same driving means as shown in FIG.
In the first embodiment, the driving means is provided with a first claw portion 84, tooth missing portions 88a to 88c, second claw portions 92a to 92c, latch portions 96a to 96c, a fixing member 98, and the like. However, in the second embodiment, the electromagnetic clutch 102 is provided in the driving means, and the regulating member 68 is intermittently rotated by controlling the electromagnetic clutch 102.

  The driving means connects the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80 for rotating the stirring and conveying member 64 steadily, the intermediate gear 104 opposed to the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80, and the power of the intermediate gear 104 to the driving gear 82. Alternatively, the electromagnetic clutch 102 to be cut off and the driven gear 86 that rotates the regulating member 68 against the driving gear 82 are provided. The electromagnetic clutch 102 is controlled by a control unit 200 described later.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the control unit 200 and each unit connected to the control unit 200.
The control unit 200 includes a CPU 204, a program ROM 206, a RAM 208, a sensor interface (sensor I / F) circuit 210, a pixel counter 212, and a control I / F circuit 214, which input / output signals to / from each other via the system bus 202. It is configured to be able to.

  The CPU 204 sends and receives signals to and from each part constituting the control unit 200 via the system bus 202 and controls each part constituting the control part 200. The program ROM 206 is composed of a flash ROM, for example, and stores information such as a program necessary for controlling the image forming apparatus 10. The RAM 208 is composed of, for example, an SRAM, and stores temporary information such as data from a pixel counter 212 described later and image data. The sensor I / F circuit 210 receives a detection result from a temperature sensor 106 described later, and outputs it to the CPU 204 via the system bus 202. The pixel counter 212 calculates the image density of the image data and outputs this image density to the CPU 204. The control I / F circuit 214 receives an instruction from the CPU 204 and controls the electromagnetic clutch 102. The temperature sensor 106 has a resistance value that varies depending on the temperature. For example, the temperature sensor 106 is disposed in the developing device case 58. Here, the temperature sensor 106 constitutes an environment detection unit, and the control unit 200 including a pixel counter constitutes an image density detection unit. In addition, the control unit 200 constitutes a control unit that controls the electromagnetic clutch 102.

  The CPU 204 controls the electromagnetic clutch 102 via the control I / F circuit 214 based on environmental conditions such as temperature information sent from the sensor I / F circuit 210. The CPU 204 similarly controls the electromagnetic clutch 102 based on the image density information sent from the pixel counter 212. That is, the CPU 204 can control the electromagnetic clutch 102 according to the temperature and control the timing at which the regulating member 68 rotates. Further, the CPU 204 can similarly control the timing at which the regulating member 68 rotates according to the image density information. For example, the CPU 204 controls the electromagnetic clutch 102 so that the stop time of the restriction member 68 is shortened when the image density is high and the restriction member 68 rotates more, and when the image density is low, the restriction member 68 is controlled. The electromagnetic clutch 102 is controlled such that the stop time is increased and the restricting member 68 rotates less.

  Therefore, when the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80 rotates, the intermediate gear 104 rotates in the same manner because the intermediate gear 104 is arranged to engage with the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80. When the power of the intermediate gear 104 is connected to the drive gear 82 by the electromagnetic clutch 102, the drive gear 82 rotates. When the drive gear 82 rotates, the driven gear 86 rotates because it is arranged to mesh with the drive gear 82. At this time, the restricting member 68 connected to the driven gear 86 rotates in the same manner. When the power of the intermediate gear 104 is turned off by the electromagnetic clutch 102, the intermediate gear 104 rotates idly. Therefore, the drive gear 82 stops and the driven gear 86 and the restricting member 68 also stop.

  In this manner, the timing of rotation of the regulating member 68 is controlled according to environmental information such as temperature and the image density of the image data. While the regulating member 68 is stopped, the supply of the new developer to the developing chamber 70 is regulated by the regulating member 68. While the regulating member 68 is rotating, the new developer is supplied to the developing chamber 70. Supplied. That is, the regulating member 68 rotates at a different timing depending on the environment, and the developer around the developing roll 60 is optimized. Also, the developer around the developing roll 60 is optimized by rotating the regulating member 68 at different timings depending on the image density.

Next, a modification of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In FIG. 7, driving means for rotating the regulating member 68 is shown. In FIG. 7, the same reference numerals are given to substantially the same drive means as shown in FIG.
In the second embodiment, the regulating member 68 rotates intermittently by controlling the electromagnetic clutch 102. However, in the present modification, the regulating member 68 rotates intermittently by controlling the solenoid 108. To do.

  The driving means connects the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80 for rotating the stirring and conveying member 64 steadily, the intermediate gear 104 opposed to the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80, and the power of the intermediate gear 104 to the driving gear 82. Alternatively, it includes a spring clutch 110 to be cut off, a solenoid 108 that locks the spring clutch, and a driven gear 86 that opposes the drive gear 82 and rotates the regulating member 68. The solenoid 108 is controlled by the control unit 200. The control unit 200 that controls the solenoid 108 is as shown in FIG. 6, and the CPU 204 controls the solenoid 108 via the control I / F circuit 214 in accordance with environmental information such as temperature, image density of image data, and the like. To do.

  Therefore, when the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80 rotates, the intermediate gear 104 rotates in the same manner because the intermediate gear 104 is arranged to engage with the stirring and conveying member driving gear 80. When the spring clutch 110 is not locked to the solenoid 108, the power of the intermediate gear 104 is connected to the drive gear 82 by the spring clutch 110, and the drive gear 82 rotates. When the driving gear 82 rotates, the driven gear 86 rotates so as to mesh with the driving gear 82, and the regulating member 68 connected to the driven gear 86 also rotates. When the spring clutch 110 is locked to the solenoid 108, the intermediate gear 104 rotates idly. Therefore, the drive gear 82 stops and the driven gear 86 and the restricting member 68 also stop.

  Thus, also in this modification, the restriction member 68 is controlled in rotation timing according to environmental information such as temperature and the image density of the image data. That is, since the regulating member 68 rotates at different timings depending on the environment and the image density, it is possible to prevent a new developer from being excessively supplied to the periphery of the developing roll 60, and the developer around the developing roll 60 is appropriate. It becomes.

Next, an image forming apparatus 10 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In FIG. 8, a side view of the developing device 40 is shown. In FIG. 8, the same reference numerals are assigned to substantially the same components as those of the developing device 40 shown in FIG.
In the third embodiment, an agitating and conveying member that agitates and conveys the developer is further provided between the regulating member 68 and the developing roll 60.

The developing device 40 faces the developing device case 58, the photoconductor 34, a developing roll 60 that supplies a developer to the photoconductor 34, a developing chamber 70 in which the developing roll is provided, and the developing chamber 70. A first agitating / conveying member 64a provided for agitating and conveying the developer, a regulating member 68 for temporarily regulating the supply of a new developer to the developing roll 60, and the developing member 70 are separated from the developing chamber 70 by the regulating member 68. The developer storage chamber 62, the second stirring / conveying member 64 b provided in the developer storage chamber 62 for stirring and transporting the developer, and the layer thickness of the developer attached to the surface of the developing roll 60 are regulated. And a layer thickness regulating member 72. The first stirring and conveying member 64a and the second stirring and conveying member 64b are provided with elastic portions 66a and 66b having flexibility, respectively. The first stirring / conveying member 64a and the second stirring / conveying member 64b are configured to rotate in the developing device 40 such that the elastic portions 66a, 66b are in contact with the developing device case 58.
The regulating member 68 may be provided so as to rotate intermittently in synchronism with any of the developing roll 60, the first stirring / transporting member 64a, or the second stirring / transporting member 64b. You may provide so that it may rotate intermittently according to environmental information, the image density of image data, etc.

  Accordingly, the developer in the developer storage chamber 62 is agitated and conveyed by the rotation of the second agitating and conveying member 64b. For example, when the second agitating / conveying member 64b rotates once, the regulating member 68 rotates one third. While the regulating member 68 is stopped, as shown in FIG. 8, the developer storage chamber 62 and the developing chamber 70 are separated by the blade portion provided on the regulating member 68. In this state, the supply of the new developer to the developing chamber 70 is restricted by the restricting member 68. While the restricting member 68 is rotating, the restricting member 68 is rotated to form an opening that communicates the developer containing chamber 62 and the developing chamber 70, and the new developer is supplied to the second stirring and conveying member 64 b. Is supplied to the developing chamber 70. The developer in the developing chamber 70 is transported toward the developing roll 60 by the first stirring / conveying member 64 a rotating in the developing chamber 70.

  In this way, the developer flow around the developing roll 60 is stabilized, and the developer around the developing roll 60 is optimized. Further, the internal pressure around the layer thickness regulating member 72 can be made substantially constant regardless of the amount of developer accommodated in the developing chamber 70.

1 is a side view of an image forming apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a side surface of the developing device 40 in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of a regulating member 68 in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. It is a drive means which rotates the control member 68, (a) illustrates the side view of a drive means, (b) is a front view which illustrates a part of drive means and a control member. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating drive means in an image forming apparatus 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Illustrated are an environment detection unit, an image density detection unit, and a control unit that controls the regulating member 68 based on information obtained by the environment detection unit and the image density detection unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the drive means in the modification of the image forming apparatus 10 which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which illustrates the side surface of the developing device 40 in the image forming apparatus 10 which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 34 Photoconductor 36 Process cartridge 40 Developing device 58 Developing device case 60 Developing roll 62 Developer accommodating chamber 64 Stirring conveyance member 68 Restricting member 70 Developing chamber 76 Support shafts 78a, 78b, 78c Blade portion 80 Stirring conveyance member driving Gear 82 driving gear 84 first claw portion 86 driven gears 88a, 88b, 88c toothless portion 90 second claw portion main bodies 92a, 92b, 92c second claw portion 94 latch portion main bodies 96a, 96b, 96c latch portion 98 fixing member 102 electromagnetic clutch 104 intermediate gear 106 temperature sensor 108 solenoid 110 spring clutch 200 control unit 204 CPU
210 Sensor I / F circuit 212 Pixel counter 214 Control I / F circuit

Claims (9)

A developing roll;
Developer supplying means for supplying a new developer to the developing roll;
A regulating member for temporarily regulating the supply of a new developer from the developer supply means to the developing roll;
A developing device. A developing chamber provided with the developing roll;
A developer containing chamber separated from the developing chamber by the regulating member and having a larger capacity than the developing chamber;
The developing device according to claim 1, further comprising: The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member rotates intermittently. The developing device according to claim 3, wherein the regulating member rotates in synchronization with rotation of the developing roll or the developer supply unit. Drive means for driving the regulating member;
The developing device according to claim 3, wherein the restricting member is temporarily stopped by the driving unit. The driving means includes
A drive gear having a tooth chip;
A driven gear opposed to the drive gear;
Latch means for temporarily stopping the drive gear;
The developing device according to claim 5. An image forming apparatus comprising the developing device according to claim 1. Environmental detection means for detecting environmental conditions;
Control means for controlling the driving of the restricting member according to the environmental state detected by the environment detecting means;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: Image density detection means for detecting the density of an image to be printed;
Control means for controlling the drive of the restricting member according to the image density detected by the image density detecting means;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

Images