JP2008191458A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of automatically releasing connection of a developer storage section and its developer supply means driving section, according to the opening or closing operation of an opening/closing cover when the developer storage section is attached or detached. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes: the developer storage section which is freely attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus and used for storing developer in a developing section; a developer supply means for supplying developer to the developing section from the developer storage section; the supply means driving section for driving the developer supply means; a connecting mechanism for connecting the developer supply means and supply means driving section; and the opening/closing cover for taking out the developer storage section upward from the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus is provided with a connecting mechanism retracting means by which the connecting mechanism is retracted in synchronization with the opening or closing operation of the opening/closing cover to the position where the connecting mechanism does not interfere with the movement of the developer storage section, accompanying the attaching or detaching operation of the developer storage section. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a developer accommodating portion such as a detachable toner container for accommodating a developer, and in particular, a position where the drive mechanism of the developer accommodating portion does not interfere with the withdrawal of the developer accommodating portion. It is related with the structure which makes it easy to take out the developer accommodating portion from the image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a toner container as an example of a developer container that is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus has a toner replenishment roller (developing for supplying toner) above a supply port for supplying toner to the developing unit. An example of the agent supply means) is provided. Since such a toner replenishing roller is driven to rotate by a toner replenishing motor (an example of a supplying means driving unit) provided outside the toner container, the driving force from the toner replenishing motor is connected to a gear group or the like. It is configured to be transmitted to the toner supply roller via a mechanism.
The toner supply port is provided with a container shutter for opening and closing the supply port in order to prevent toner from spilling from the supply port when the toner container is removed. The container shutter is opened after the toner container is attached to the image forming apparatus, and is closed when the toner shutter is removed from the image forming apparatus. Conventionally, opening and closing of the container shutter when attaching and detaching the toner container has been performed by a lever operation by a user or a service person. However, since this is troublesome, the part containing the toner container on the image forming apparatus main body side is opened and closed. There is known an image forming apparatus provided with shutter means for closing the container shutter in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the top cover when the top cover (an example of the opening / closing cover) is opened to remove the toner container. Patent Document 1).
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-2-19865

As described above, the container shutter described in Patent Document 1 automatically closes or opens the container shutter according to the opening or closing operation of the top cover. This is convenient because it can eliminate the trouble of users and service personnel.
However, in the toner container in which the toner supply roller provided in the toner container and the toner supply motor for driving the toner supply roller are connected by a connecting mechanism such as a gear group as described above, the toner container is taken out. Even if the toner supply port is automatically closed by the container shutter as in Patent Document 1, the toner container and the toner replenishing motor are connected by the connecting mechanism as described above. Even if the top cover is opened, the toner container cannot be taken out unless the coupling mechanism is separately released. Therefore, in the conventional image forming apparatus, when the toner container is taken out, the connection by the connecting mechanism is manually released and the toner container is taken out, which is a troublesome work for an operator who performs maintenance work.
In particular, in a color-compatible image forming apparatus having a plurality of toner containers corresponding to a plurality of colors, it is necessary to manually release the coupling mechanisms of the plurality of toner containers, which is a very complicated operation.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the object of the present invention is according to the opening / closing operation of the top cover (opening / closing cover) or the like when the toner container (developer housing part) is attached or detached. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of automatically releasing the connecting member for connecting the developer supplying means and the driving means by the connecting mechanism so that the labor of releasing the connecting mechanism can be saved.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
A developer accommodating portion detachably attached to the image forming apparatus for accommodating the developer in the developing portion; a developer supplying means for supplying the developer from the developer accommodating portion to the developing portion; and the developer A supply means driving section for driving the supply means; a connecting mechanism for connecting the developer supply means and the supply means drive section; an opening / closing cover for taking out the developer accommodating section upward from the image forming apparatus; , And retracts the coupling mechanism to a position where it does not interfere with the movement of the developer accommodating portion accompanying the attaching / detaching operation of the developer accommodating portion in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover. The image forming apparatus is characterized by comprising a coupling mechanism retracting means.
Therefore, according to the present invention, the connecting mechanism that connects the developer supply means and the driving means according to the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover when the developer accommodating portion is attached / detached does not interfere with the attachment / detachment of the developer accommodating portion. Since the position is automatically retracted to the position, it is possible to save the operator from having to release the coupling mechanism as compared with the case where the coupling mechanism is manually released.
Specifically, the developer supply means is a developer supply roller provided in a developer container, and the coupling mechanism is connected to / separated from the shaft of the developer supply roller or another shaft connected thereto. A connecting shaft that freely advances and retreats, and further, the connecting mechanism retracting means advances and retracts the connecting shaft according to the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing cover, and connects the supply means driving unit and the developer supply roller. What can be blocked is considered.

  When the present invention is applied to a color-compatible image forming apparatus having a plurality of developer accommodating portions corresponding to a plurality of colors, such as a color copying machine and a color printer, the direction in which the plurality of developer accommodating portions are arranged. Provided in correspondence with the reciprocating member and the plurality of developer accommodating portions. By interlocking with the connection mechanism retracting means, the connection mechanism provided corresponding to all the developer accommodating portions in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover is accompanied by the attaching / detaching operation of the developer accommodating portion. By retreating all the toner containers to a position that does not interfere with the movement of the developer container, the operator manually retreats the connection mechanism for each of the plurality of toner containers. It is released.

  According to the present invention, as described above, a developer accommodating portion that is detachable from the image forming apparatus for accommodating the developer in the developing portion, and the developer is supplied from the developer accommodating portion to the developing portion. Developer supplying means, a supplying means driving portion for driving the developer supplying means, a connecting mechanism for connecting the developer supplying means and the supplying means driving portion, and the developer containing portion for the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising: an opening / closing cover for taking out upward from the image forming apparatus, wherein the developer is connected to the developer accommodating portion in association with the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover. An image forming apparatus is provided, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a connection mechanism retracting unit that retracts to a position that does not interfere with the movement of the storage unit, and the open / close cover is opened and closed when the developer storage unit is attached or detached. , This The connecting mechanism for connecting the developer supply means and the driving means is automatically retracted to a position where it does not interfere with the attachment and detachment of the developer accommodating portion, so that the operation is compared with the case where the connecting mechanism is manually released individually. This saves the user from having to release the coupling mechanism.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the present invention can be understood. The following embodiment is an example embodying the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a color printer X according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where a front cover of the color printer X is opened and a toner container driving unit is exposed. 3 is a perspective view of a toner container driving unit of the color printer X shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a partial detail of the toner container driving unit shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a toner shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the concept of the coupling mechanism in the toner container driving unit shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 (a) shows a state in which the coupling is released. (B) has shown the connection state.
First, a schematic configuration of the color printer X according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Here, a color printer to which the present invention can be applied will be described. However, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can be applied to a copying machine, a facsimile, or a printing machine regardless of the printer. Needless to say, the present invention can also be applied to an image forming apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 2, the color printer X showing a state in which the side cover 11a (see FIG. 1) is removed includes toner containers 101 to 104, an intermediate transfer unit 2, an image forming unit 3, a paper discharge unit 5, and a laser. The scanner unit 6, a paper feed cassette 7, a top cover 11 (an example of an opening / closing cover), and the like are schematically configured. The color printer X naturally has other components such as a control circuit for controlling the operation of the color printer X, which are provided in a general color printer.

The toner containers 101 to 104, the intermediate transfer unit 2, the image forming unit 3, and the laser scanner unit 6 are detachably provided in a housing 10 (see FIG. 4) of the image forming apparatus main body.
As shown in FIG. 3, the top cover 11 (an example of an open / close cover) has a pivot shaft 21 that is pivotally supported by the housing 10, so that the top cover 11 (an example of an opening / closing cover) is illustrated around the pivot shaft 21. 3 is supported so as to be rotatable in an opening direction indicated by an arrow R1 and a closing direction indicated by an arrow R2, and serves also as an upper surface cover of the housing 10 and a paper discharge tray on which paper after image formation is placed. .
Accordingly, the user or service person opens the housing 10 by rotating the top cover 11 in the direction of the arrow R1, and removes the toner containers 101 to 104 upward or performs the intermediate transfer. The unit 2, the image forming unit 3 and the laser scanner unit 6 can be attached and detached and maintained.

The toner containers 101 to 104 contain toner of each color of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black), and each color toner is stored in each of the image forming units 3. Supply to the development unit. The configuration of the drive system of the toner containers 101 to 104 will be described in detail later.
As described above, the image forming unit 3 has a plurality of image forming units corresponding to the respective colors of YMCK, and is provided in the intermediate transfer unit 2 using the toner of each color supplied from the toner containers 101 to 104. A monochrome or color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt (not shown). Each of the image forming units is provided with a photosensitive drum, a charging device, a developing unit, and the like.
The laser scanning unit 6 includes various optical system devices such as a light source, a polygon mirror, a reflection mirror, and a deflection mirror, and an image is provided on each photosensitive drum provided in each image forming unit of the image forming unit 3. An electrostatic latent image based on the data is formed.
The intermediate transfer unit 2 secondarily transfers the toner image transferred from the image forming unit 3 onto an intermediate transfer belt (not shown) onto the paper supplied from the paper feed cassette 7. The paper feed cassette 7 accommodates paper and can be attached and detached by opening the front cover 11b (see FIG. 1).
The paper discharge unit 5 discharges the sheet after fixing the image conveyed from the fixing unit (not shown) onto the top cover 11 and has a paper discharge roller and the like.

Next, the configuration of the drive system of the toner containers 101 to 104 will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the drive shaft 20 that protrudes from the toner containers 101 to 104 to the front of the image forming apparatus integrally has a drive gear 22 attached to the tip thereof.
The drive gear 22 meshes with a driving gear 28 driven by a toner replenishing motor 24 via gears 24 a and 24 b, and rotates according to the rotation of the toner replenishing motor 24.
The drive gear 22 is configured to rotate but not to move in the axial direction.
As is clear from FIG. 6A, a part of the drive shaft 20 integrated with the drive gear 22 has an outer surface D cut. Further, the outer periphery of the drive shaft 20 has a cylindrical inner peripheral surface that is slidably fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 20 and an inner cylinder portion that is formed with an inner surface D cut that contacts the outer surface D cut. The sliding shaft portion 32 that is not rotatable relative to the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 20 but is capable of relative sliding in the axial direction of the drive shaft 20 is fitted.

The sliding shaft portion 32 is provided with a flange portion 34 perpendicular to the drive shaft 20 at an end thereof, and the drive gear is always provided by a compression spring 36 provided between the flange portion 34 and the drive gear 22. It is elastically biased in a direction away from 22.
Further, the flange portion 34 is integral with an inner sliding cylinder portion 38 which is a cylindrical body coaxial with the drive shaft 20.

Further, an outer sliding cylinder part that is relatively rotatable in the circumferential direction with respect to the inner sliding cylinder part 38 and relatively slidable in the axial direction is provided on the outer periphery of the inner sliding cylinder part 38. 40 is installed.
The end of the inner sliding cylinder 38 on the drive gear 22 side is in contact with the end 40a of the outer sliding cylinder 40, and the outer sliding cylinder 40 and the inner sliding cylinder 38 are integrated. A contact flange 42 is provided for sliding in the axial direction of the drive shaft 20.
Further, a rotating arm 44 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and a cam 46 inclined with respect to the axial direction of the drive shaft 20 are fixed to the outer periphery of the outer sliding cylinder portion 40 in the radial direction. Refer to FIG. 5 for the detailed shape of the cam 46.
A guide member 48 that is in contact with the cam 46 and is inclined in the same direction as the cam 46 is fixed to the housing 10 side.
The drive shaft 20, drive gear 22, toner supply motor 24, driving gear 28, slide shaft portion 32, flange portion 34, compression spring 36, inner slide tube portion 38, outer slide tube portion 40, and the like described above. A drive unit 56 (an example of a coupling mechanism retracting unit) including a contact flange 42, a rotating arm 44, a cam 46, and a guide member 48 is provided for the four toner containers 101 to 104 provided according to four collars. It is provided corresponding to each.

On the other hand, a fan-shaped gear 50 shown in FIG. 4 is fixed to an end portion of the rotation shaft 21 which is a rotation support shaft of the top cover 11.
The intermediate gear 52 that meshes with the gear 50 and is rotatably supported by the housing 10 meshes with the toothed portion 54a of the rack 54 that is slidably supported in the horizontal direction. , Reciprocates left and right as the top cover 11 is opened and closed.
As apparent from FIG. 3, the rack 54 extends in the left-right direction of the image forming apparatus, that is, in the direction in which the plurality of toner containers 101 to 104 are arranged.
As shown in FIG. 4, the rack 54 is provided with a horizontal drive pin 58 corresponding to each toner container, and each drive pin 58 is provided with the rotating arm provided corresponding to each toner container. It is inserted into a longitudinal slot 60 formed in 44.
Accordingly, when the rack 54 moves to the left or right according to the opening / closing operation of the top cover 11 as described above, the rotation arm 44 is driven clockwise or counterclockwise by being driven by the drive pin 58 integrated with the rack 54 accordingly. Reciprocally rotate. By this movement, the cam 46 integral with the rotation arm 44 provided corresponding to each toner container is reciprocated around the rotation shaft portion 30, and the cam 46 interferes with the guide member 48. The inner sliding cylinder portion 38 and the outer sliding cylinder portion 40 are pressed by the compression spring 36 so that the cam 46 is constantly pressed by the guide member 48, so that the inner sliding cylinder portion 38 is moved in the horizontal direction of FIG. Move back and forth.
The color printer has a plurality of toner containers corresponding to a plurality of colors, and the rack 54 is provided in a direction in which the plurality of toner containers are arranged. The rack 54 opens and closes the top cover 11. Since the developer container is reciprocated in the direction in which the developer accommodating portions are arranged, a drive pin 58 provided on the rack 54 corresponding to each toner container is provided with a drive portion provided corresponding to each toner container. The (link mechanism retracting means) operates as described above, and the inner sliding cylinder portion 38 (link mechanism) provided corresponding to all the toner containers in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the top cover 11 is The toner containers can be retracted all at once to a position that does not interfere with the movement of the toner container accompanying the toner container attaching / detaching operation.
A fitting portion 62 having a triangular cross section perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft 20 is formed at the end of the inner sliding cylinder portion 38 opposite to the drive gear 22, as shown in FIG. The fitting portion 62 is an unillustrated fitting formed at the shaft end of a toner supply roller (not shown) provided in each of the toner containers 101 to 104 by the reciprocating movement of the inner sliding cylinder portion 38 as described above. Mates and leaves the joint. When the inner sliding cylinder part 38 moves and the fitting part separates, the coupling between the inner sliding cylinder part 38 (an example of a coupling mechanism) and the toner supply roller (not shown) is released, and the toner container 101-104 can be taken out upward. As described above, the fitting portion 62 moves back to a position where it does not interfere with the raising operation of the toner container, so that the toner container can be taken out smoothly.
Further, when the toner replenishing motor 24 rotates in a state where both the fitting portions are engaged, the rotation is caused by the driving gear 28, the driving gear 22, and the driving shaft 20 integrated with the driving gear 22. A toner replenishing roller (not shown) having a fitting portion that is transmitted to the sliding shaft portion 32, the inner sliding cylinder portion 38, and the fitting portion 62 and is fitted to the fitting portion 62 is driven, and the inside of the toner container Toner is supplied to the developing unit.
At this time, since the inner sliding cylinder part 38 and the outer sliding cylinder part 40 are relatively rotatable around the rotation shaft part 30, the rotation of the inner sliding cylinder part 38 is the outer sliding cylinder part 40. Therefore, the inconvenience that unnecessary force is applied to the rotating arm 44 is avoided.

1 is an external perspective view of a color printer X according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a toner container driving unit is exposed by opening a front cover of the color printer X according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a toner container driving unit of the color printer X illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a partial detail of a toner container driving unit illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a more detailed perspective view of the toner container driving unit shown in FIG. 4. Sectional drawing which shows the concept of the connection mechanism in the toner container drive part shown in FIG. 4 (the figure (a) shows the state by which connection was cancelled | released, (b) has shown the connection state).

Explanation of symbols

X ... Image forming device (color printer)
2 ... Intermediate transfer unit 3 ... Image forming unit 5 ... Paper discharge unit 6 ... Laser scanner unit 7 ... Paper feed cassette 10 ... Housing 11 ... Top cover 101-104 ... Toner container 20 ... Drive shaft 21 ... Rotating shaft 22 ... Driving gear 24 ... toner replenishing motor 28 ... driving gear 32 ... sliding shaft 34 ... flange 36 ... compression spring 38 ... inner sliding cylinder 40 ... outer sliding cylinder 42 ... abutting flange 44 ... rotating arm 46 ... cam 48 ... guide member 50 ... gear 52 ... intermediate gear 54 ... rack 56 ... drive part 58 ... drive pin 60 ... long hole 62 ... fitting part

Claims (3)

A developer accommodating portion detachably attached to the image forming apparatus for accommodating the developer in the developing portion; a developer supplying means for supplying the developer from the developer accommodating portion to the developing portion; and the developer A supply means driving section for driving the supply means; a connecting mechanism for connecting the developer supply means and the supply means drive section; an opening / closing cover for taking out the developer accommodating section upward from the image forming apparatus; , An image forming apparatus comprising:
Linking mechanism retracting means for retracting the coupling mechanism to a position not interfering with the movement of the developer accommodating portion accompanying the attaching / detaching operation of the developer accommodating portion in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover is provided. Image forming apparatus.   The developer supply means is a developer supply roller provided in a developer container, and the connection mechanism is connected to and separated from the shaft of the developer supply roller or another shaft connected thereto. Further, the connecting mechanism retracting means moves the connecting shaft forward and backward according to the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover, and connects / disconnects the connection between the supply means driving section and the developer supply roller. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.   A color-compatible image forming apparatus having a plurality of developer accommodating portions corresponding to a plurality of colors, provided in a direction in which the plurality of developer accommodating portions are arranged, and interlocking with an opening / closing operation of the opening / closing cover A reciprocating member that reciprocates in the direction in which the agent containing portions are arranged, and the reciprocating member and the connecting mechanism retracting means provided corresponding to the plurality of developer containing portions are interlocked to each other. In conjunction with the opening / closing operation, the connecting mechanisms provided corresponding to all the developer accommodating portions are retracted all at once to a position that does not interfere with the movement of the developer accommodating portion accompanying the attaching / detaching operation of the developer accommodating portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured as described above.

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