JP2009031507A - Electrophotographic image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a user from carrying out an image forming action without removing a separating part by not noticing that the member is inside a main body in an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge which are types with the member separating a transfer roller and an image carrier inserted in a main body at the same time for the purpose of preventing the transfer roller and the image carrier from being damaged by a shock during transportation. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is provided with a detection means for detecting whether or not an action of the process cartridge is possible. The separating member is provided with a section making the detection means for detecting whether or not an action of the process cartridge is possible judge that the action of the process cartridge is not possible when the process cartridge is loaded to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a process cartridge, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge can be attached and detached, and a separation member used for them.

  Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming process. For example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, LED printer, laser beam printer, etc.), electronic Photo facsimile machines, electrophotographic word processors, etc. are included.

  Further, as the process cartridge, a charging unit, a developing unit or a cleaning unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Then, at least one of the charging unit, the developing unit, and the cleaning unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge so as to be detachable from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, it means that at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrated into a cartridge so that it can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is A cartridge system that can be attached to and detached from the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body is employed. According to this cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself / herself without depending on the service person, so that the operability can be remarkably improved. For this reason, this cartridge system is widely used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses.

  In such an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image is formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter referred to as a photosensitive member) of a cartridge by an exposure device, and then developed by developing means in the cartridge. Thereafter, the image is transferred to the sheet material by a transfer roller that is pressed against the photoconductor. Therefore, in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, when the cartridge is mounted on the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the transfer roller on the main body side is always in pressure contact with the photosensitive member on the cartridge side.

  As described above, since the transfer roller of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus and the photosensitive member of the process cartridge are always in pressure contact with each other, the transfer roller is deformed or rubbed between the transfer roller and the photosensitive member during transportation with the cartridge mounted. Need a means to prevent.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a process cartridge that are shipped with the cartridge mounted in the main body, when the process cartridge is mounted in the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the process cartridge A transfer roller provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus that can be pressure-contacted with the image carrier, and a separation member that separates the image carrier from the transfer roller when the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is transported. And the separation member indicates the distance between the transfer roller and the image carrier of the process cartridge when the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is transported, and the transfer roller when the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is used. And having the separation part wider than the distance between the image carrier and the image carrier, Technique of preventing rubbing is introduced between deformation and the transfer roller and the photosensitive member of the transfer roller by.
JP 2006-58559 A

  In the above conventional example, there is a case where a member for separating the transfer roller and the image carrier is inserted into the main body at the same time in order to prevent the transfer roller and the image carrier from being damaged by an impact during transportation. At this time, there is a case where the user does not notice that such a member is in the main body and performs the image forming operation without removing the member, so that the normal image forming operation cannot be performed. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of determining whether or not a process cartridge mounted in the image forming apparatus main body is mounted in a usable state, and a transfer roller and an image carrier used in the image forming apparatus. It is providing the spacing member which spaces apart.

In order to solve the above problems, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes:
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium that can be transported with a process cartridge mounted thereon,
The process cartridge having an image carrier, which is detachably attached to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus;
A transfer roller for transferring the image formed on the image carrier to the recording medium;
Detection means for detecting whether the operation of the process cartridge is possible;
A separation member used when the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is transported with the process cartridge mounted, wherein the image carrier and the transfer roller are used to separate the image carrier and the transfer roller. A first spacing portion provided between and
A second separating portion provided between the process cartridge and the detection means for causing the detection means to detect that the process cartridge cannot operate;
A spacing member having
Have

  When the process cartridge is mounted on the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, the transfer roller provided in the image forming apparatus main body that can be pressed against the image carrier included in the process cartridge, and the electrophotographic image forming apparatus The image bearing member and the transfer roller are separated from each other during transportation, and can be transported in a state where a detachable process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatus having a detecting unit for detecting whether or not the process cartridge can operate the process cartridge, the separation member is disposed when the process cartridge is mounted on the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. The movement of the process cartridge is detected with respect to the detection means for detecting whether or not the operation of the process cartridge is possible. It has a portion for determining that but is impossible.

  According to the present invention, the separation member is provided so that the apparatus main body transfer roller and the photosensitive member of the process cartridge are not pressed against each other, so that the cartridge is packed in the apparatus main body, and is transported and transported. In this case, deformation of the transfer roller and rubbing between the transfer roller and the photosensitive member can be prevented, and printing is performed without removing the member without the user noticing that the separation member is in the main body. It is possible to prevent the operation.

  Next, details of the present invention will be described in accordance with the description of the embodiments.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described below are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those unless otherwise specified.

(First embodiment)
(Overall configuration of image forming apparatus)
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet material, an apparatus that uses an image forming process such as an electrophotographic process, an electrostatic recording process, or a magnetic recording process is known. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration in a cross section of an image forming apparatus for forming an image by an electrophotographic process according to a conventional example. In the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the right side (side on which the manual feed tray 4 is arranged) is the front side of the apparatus main body, the left side is the back side, the near side is the left side of the apparatus main body, and the back side is the right side of the apparatus main body. Give an explanation.

  The image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment includes an exposure apparatus 2 as an optical unit, a process cartridge P having a developing unit, and an electrical unit 30 that controls driving of the apparatus.

  The exposure apparatus 2 as optical means includes a laser diode (not shown) as a light source, a polygon mirror 21 and a reflection mirror 22.

  Furthermore, the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment includes the manual feed tray 4 and the feeding cassettes 5 and 6 as the stacking means for the sheet material S, and a plurality of sheet materials are stacked on these stacking means. . Further, feeding rollers 7, 8, and 9 are provided for separating and conveying the stacked sheet materials one by one, and a registration roller 10 for conveying the separated sheet materials is provided. An inner discharge roller pair 16 and an outer discharge roller pair 17 for discharging the sheet material S on which the image is formed are provided on the downstream side in the transport direction.

  A process for forming an image on the sheet material S in the image forming apparatus main body 1 configured as described above will be described below.

  When a signal for starting image formation is input at a signal input unit (not shown), the sheet feeding rollers 7, 8, 9 are respectively provided with the sheet feeding S 4 and the sheet material S in the feeding cassettes 5, 6. Be fed by. At this time, since the feeding rollers 7, 8, and 9 employ a retard system that separates the sheet materials one by one, the sheets are separated and fed one by one by these rollers.

  The sheet material S fed by the feeding rollers 7, 8, 9 is abutted against the nip portion of the registration roller pair 10 whose rotation is stopped. The registration roller pair 10 is driven at a predetermined timing, and the skew state of the sheet material S is corrected in the registration roller pair 10.

  On the other hand, in the exposure apparatus 2 as the optical means, the laser light emitted from the laser diode as the light source is scanned by the polygon mirror 21 and irradiated onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 31, and on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface.

  Then, toner as a developer is supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 from the developing means accommodated in the process cartridge P, and a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31. Is done.

  Then, the sheet material S corrected in skew by the registration roller pair 10 is conveyed to a conveyance nip portion formed by the photosensitive drum 31 and the transfer roller 11 at a timing, and the sheet material S is conveyed by a transfer charger (not shown). After being charged, the toner image is transferred to the sheet material S.

  The sheet material S to which the toner image is transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 13 by the conveyance belt 12 and the image is fixed on the sheet material S. The fixing device 13 according to the first embodiment includes a pressure roller 14 and a fixing roller 15, and a heating heater (not shown) is provided inside the fixing roller 15.

  When fixing an image, a heater generates heat on the image forming surface of the sheet material S while nipping and conveying the sheet material S at a nip formed by the pressure roller 14 and the fixing roller 15. The image can be fixed on the sheet material S by applying heat and further pressing by the pressure roller 14.

  The sheet material S on which the image is fixed in the fixing device 13 is discharged to the discharge tray 18 by the inner discharge roller pair 16 and the outer discharge roller pair 17. Note that the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a double-sided print mode for performing double-sided printing on the sheet material S and a single-sided print mode.

  In the single-sided print mode, the sheet material S on which the image has been fixed by the fixing device 13 is set to be conveyed to the discharge roller and discharged to the discharge tray 18 as it is. On the other hand, in the duplex printing mode, the sheet material S is conveyed to the refeed path 20 and the duplex conveyance path 23 by the inner discharge roller pair 16 and the switchback roller pair 19, and the sheet material S is temporarily stacked on the intermediate tray 24. To do. Then, the sheet material S stacked on the intermediate tray 24 is conveyed again to the registration roller pair 10 by the refeed device 25, and thereafter an image is formed in the same manner as in the case of single-sided printing.

  Next, the schematic configuration of the process cartridge will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a detachable process cartridge (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge).

(Process cartridge imaging process)
The process cartridge P rotates the photosensitive member 31 and uniformly charges the surface thereof by applying a voltage to the charging roller 42 as charging means. The voltage is applied to the charging contact 41 and the charging roller 42 on the process cartridge P side via the charging contact 40 from the electrical unit 30 on the apparatus main body side. Next, a latent image is formed by irradiating the photoconductor 31 with laser light corresponding to image information from the exposure apparatus 2. The latent image is developed by developing means using toner.

  More specifically, the charging roller 42 is provided in contact with the photoconductor 31 and charges the photoconductor 31. The charging roller 42 is driven to rotate by the photoreceptor 31. The developing unit supplies toner to the developing area of the photoconductor 31 and develops the latent image formed on the photoconductor 31.

  The developing unit sends the toner in the toner storage container 43 to the developing chamber 45 by the rotation of the stirring member 44. Then, the developing roller 46 having a built-in magnet roller (fixed magnet) is rotated, and a toner layer to which a triboelectric charge is imparted by the developing blade 47 is formed on the surface of the developing roller 46. A voltage is applied to the developing roller 46, and the toner is transferred to the photoreceptor 31 according to the latent image, thereby forming a toner image and making it visible. The voltage is supplied from the electrical unit 30 on the apparatus body side to the development contact 49 on the process cartridge side and the development roller 46 via the development contact 48.

  The developing blade 47 defines the amount of toner on the peripheral surface of the developing roller 46 and imparts triboelectric charge.

  The photoreceptor 31 after the toner image is transferred to the sheet material S by the transfer roller 11 is subjected to the next image forming process after the toner remaining on the photoreceptor 31 is removed by the cleaning unit. The cleaning means scrapes off the residual toner on the photoconductor 31 by an elastic cleaning blade 50 provided in contact with the photoconductor 31 and collects it in a waste toner reservoir 51.

  A memory tag 52, which is an information storage medium, is attached to the surface of the process cartridge P. The memory tag 52 is electrically connected to a main body electrical contact provided on a connector (not shown) on the apparatus main body side for communication. .

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 56 denotes an antenna for detecting the remaining amount of toner, and is configured to be connected to the antenna terminal portion 56c outside the cartridge by the lead wire portion 56b from the antenna portion 56a stretched in the developing chamber 45. . An antenna contact 57 on the main body side is connected to a toner remaining amount detection circuit.

  The toner remaining amount detecting means of this embodiment is configured such that the detection antenna 56 is connected to a detection circuit via a contact 57 during a normal image forming operation. The detection circuit detects the capacitance between the detection antenna 56 and the developing roller 46 and the capacitance of a comparison capacitor (not shown) by supplying the same AC signal, for example, a rectangular wave, and compares the detection results. This detects the remaining amount of toner.

  That is, when a large amount of toner exists between the antenna 56 and the developing roller 46, a capacitance higher than that of the comparison capacitor is detected, but is detected as the toner between the antenna and the developing roller decreases. Capacitance goes down. When a capacitance lower than that of the comparison capacitor is detected, a display unit (not shown) has a circuit for displaying toner out to the user.

  The drum shutter 53 is closed to protect the drum when the process cartridge P is not attached, and is open when attached to the apparatus main body.

  Next, the process cartridge frame will be described.

  Cleaning means such as the photoconductor 31, the charging roller 42, and the elastic cleaning blade 50 are attached to a drum frame 54 that is one of the cartridge frames to constitute an integral photoconductor unit.

  On the other hand, the developing means unit includes a toner container 43 that contains toner, and a developing frame 55 that holds the developing roller 46 and the developing blade 47.

  Then, the process cartridge P is configured by rotatably coupling the photosensitive unit and the developing means unit to each other by pin coupling (not shown).

(Process cartridge installation detection)
A controller unit is provided in the electrical unit 30 in the main body, and includes electrical circuits such as a charging bias generation circuit, a development bias generation circuit, and a toner remaining amount detection circuit. The charging contact 40 is connected to a charging bias generating circuit, the developing contact 48 is connected to a developing bias generating circuit, and the antenna contact 57 is connected to a toner remaining amount detecting circuit. When each of these circuits is in an insulated state, the controller unit determines that the process cartridge is not mounted, and performs control so that the motor that drives the apparatus main body 1 is not operated. Further, a warning message for recognizing the non-installed state of the process cartridge is displayed on a display (not shown) provided in the main body according to a command from the controller unit.

(Process cartridge mounting and dismounting part)
The attachment / detachment guide and attachment portion configuration of the process cartridge P will be described with reference to FIGS.

  3 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus main body with the cartridge access door opened when the process cartridge is attached / detached, FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the process cartridge mounting means of the apparatus main body, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic perspective views of the process cartridge. FIG.

  The process cartridge P is detachably mounted on the cartridge mounting means provided on the apparatus main body 1 by the user by opening the cartridge access door D of the apparatus main body 1. First, a guide member provided on the process cartridge P side will be described.

  A guide member on the process cartridge side is constituted by the outer diameters of the substantially cylindrical portions 70 and 71 on both outer surfaces of the process cartridge P. Moreover, 72 and 73 which are rotation control contact parts are provided in the upper direction position at the time of mounting | wearing with an apparatus main body, and both ends, respectively.

  Next, the guide member provided in the apparatus main body 1 will be described.

  The guide member on the apparatus main body 1 side is composed of 74-77. The guide members 74 to 77 are configured obliquely with respect to the mounting direction of the process cartridge P, and the guide portions 72 and 73 and the rotation restricting contact portions 193 and 191 of the process cartridge P are respectively inserted.

  The drum shutter 53 is opened and closed by being guided along the guide portions 75 and 77 of the apparatus main body 1.

  The insertion / extraction locus of the process cartridge P will be described.

  Initially, the process cartridge P is inserted at an angle close to the horizontal direction, and finally the transfer roller 42 is biased by the transfer spring 83 with respect to the photoconductor 31 from the upper side of the transfer roller 42. Inserted. After insertion, the cylindrical portion 71 of the process cartridge P is pressed by the cartridge pressing spring 78.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the process cartridge P is packed in an individual packaging box in a state of being mounted on the apparatus main body, and is transported and transported to the end user.

(Configuration of transfer section)
The configuration of the transfer unit will be described with reference to FIG.

  8A and 8B are schematic sectional views of the transfer unit. FIG. 8A shows a state where no cartridge is mounted, and FIG. 8B shows a state where the cartridge is mounted.

  First, the state where the cartridge P is not mounted will be described.

  The transfer roller 11 has a roller portion 11 (a) and shaft portions 11 (b) at both ends thereof, and these shaft portions 11 (b) are supported by transfer bearings 81, respectively. The transfer bearing 81 is supported by a frame 82 which is a member member of the apparatus main body, and is urged toward the photoconductor 31 by a transfer spring 83 (in the direction of the arrow in the figure). In a state where the cartridge P is not mounted, the transfer bearing 81 does not come out by hitting the abutting portion of the frame 82.

  Next, a state where the cartridge is mounted will be described.

  When the cartridge P is attached to the apparatus main body 1, the photoconductor 31 pushes down the roller portion 11 (a) from substantially above the transfer roller 11. As a result, the transfer bearing 81 is separated from the abutting portion of the frame 82, and the transfer roller 11 is urged against the photosensitive member 31 by the transfer spring 83 with a predetermined pressure.

(Separation member configuration and operation when the process cartridge is mounted)
FIG. 9 shows the configuration of the separation member for preventing the transfer roller 11 of the apparatus main body 1 and the photosensitive member 31 of the process cartridge P from contacting each other when the process cartridge P is attached, and the operation when the process cartridge is attached in the separation member attachment state. And it demonstrates using FIG.

  9 is a perspective view of the inside of the apparatus main body when the separation member is attached to the apparatus main body. FIG. 9 (a) is not attached, FIG. 9 (b) is attached, and FIG. 9 (c) is not attached and the process cartridge P is attached. It is.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the apparatus main body with the cartridge mounted in the apparatus main body when FIG. 10A is not mounted (normal operation) and FIG. 10B is mounted with the separation member.

  A configuration for attaching the separation member 91 to the apparatus main body 1 and the separation member 91 will be described.

  A substantially positioning portion 92 is provided in the separating member 91 for substantially positioning when the separating member 91 is attached to the apparatus main body 1. The substantially positioning portion 92 (a) is attached to the protrusion 81 (a) of the transfer bearing 81 with a predetermined clearance. The other substantially positioning portion 92 (b) is attached to a transfer roller shaft portion (not shown) with a predetermined clearance, and the end portion of the transfer roller 81 (a) and the end portion of the transfer bearing 81 Are attached with a predetermined clearance. Further, the separation portion 94 is provided on the outer side (outside the sheet passing area) than the end portion of the transfer roller. The developing contact insulating portion 95 provided integrally with the separating member 91 is attached so as to keep the main body side developing bias contact 48 tilted in the paper direction (FIGS. 9B and 10B). ). Thus, in the state where the cartridge P is not attached to the neglected main body 1 and the separation member 91 is attached, the separation member 91 is not fixed and can be easily removed from the opening of the apparatus main body. it can.

  Next, a state where the cartridge P is mounted on the apparatus main body 1 with the separation member 91 attached will be described.

  When the cartridge P is mounted at a predetermined position of the apparatus main body 1, the photosensitive member 31 pushes down the separation portion 94 by pushing the upper surface portion of the separation portion 94. Further, the transfer bearing 81 is pushed down by the lower surface portion of the separation portion 94. As a result, the transfer roller 11 is also pushed down, and the photoreceptor 31 and the transfer roller 11 are separated. Since the separation portion 94 is provided outside the transfer roller 11 as described above, the two separation portions 94 abut on the non-image area of the photoreceptor 31. A photosensitive member protection member 96 is attached to the contact portion of the separation portion 94 with the photosensitive member 31 with an adhesive material 97. The photoreceptor protection member 96 is a polyethylene material that has been subjected to antistatic treatment. For this reason, it is not electrically charged, and the contact surface with the separating portion 94 on the surface of the photoreceptor 31 is not damaged.

  The photoconductor protection member 96 may be made of any material that is subjected to antistatic treatment and does not damage the surface of the photoconductor. Since the shape of the contact surface of the separation portion 94 with the photosensitive member 31 is a shape similar to the shape of the photosensitive member 31, the position of the separation member 91 is determined by the photosensitive member 31 when the cartridge P is mounted. The photosensitive member 31 and the transfer bearing 81 are fixed. In this state, since the separation member 91 is fixed, the separation member 91 cannot be removed. When the cartridge P is mounted on the apparatus main body 1, the photosensitive member 31 and the transfer roller 11 are free by the separation member 91, so that the transfer roller 11 is deformed during transportation and transportation, and the space between the photosensitive member 31 and the transfer roller 11. No rubbing or the like will occur.

  After being transported and transported to the user in the above state, the user unpacks and removes the cartridge P from the apparatus main body 1. The movement of removing the separating member 91 at this time will be described.

  The user takes out the apparatus main body 1 from the individual packaging box, opens the cartridge access door D, and takes out the process cartridge P. The separation member 91 can be easily recognized from the opening from which the cartridge P is taken out. Further, when the process cartridge P is removed, the photosensitive member 31 fixing the separation member 91 is not present, and the user can easily hold the removal portion 98 provided on the separation member 91 from the opening. Can be removed. The removal portion 98 is also provided with a square hole 99, and a configuration in which the user can easily remove it by attaching a tape, a sheet material, or the like thereto may be adopted.

  When the cartridge P is mounted after the separation member 91 is removed, the photoconductor 31 and the transfer roller 11 are in a predetermined operation position, and the apparatus main body 1 and the cartridge P can operate normally (FIG. 10A). When the power switch of the apparatus main body 1 is turned on without forgetting to remove the separation member 91, the main assembly side developing bias contact 48 and the cartridge P side are provided by the development contact insulating portion 95 provided integrally with the separation member 91. Since the contact portion 49 is separated, the apparatus main body 1 determines that the cartridge is not attached, and a motor (not shown) for driving the apparatus main body 1 does not operate. Therefore, the apparatus main body 1, the cartridge P, the separation member 91 is not damaged.

<Other embodiments>
In the first embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge biased state is detected by bringing the developing bias generation circuit into an insulating state. As another embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained by setting the charging bias generation circuit or the toner remaining amount detection circuit in an insulated state.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a process cartridge according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus main body in a state where a cartridge access door is opened when the process cartridge is attached and detached in the embodiment of the present invention. The process cartridge mounting means part perspective view of the apparatus main body in embodiment of this invention. The process cartridge mounting means part perspective view of the apparatus main body in embodiment of this invention. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a process cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a process cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a transfer unit in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an internal perspective view of the apparatus main body in a state where the separation member (a) is not mounted, (b) is mounted, and (c) is not mounted, and the process cartridge P is mounted in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the apparatus main body in a cartridge mounted state when the spacer body is not mounted (normal operation) and (b) when the spacer member is mounted on the apparatus main body in the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus main body 2 Exposure apparatus 4 Manual feed tray 5 Feed cassette 6 Feed cassette 7-9 Feed roller 10 Registration roller 11 Transfer roller 11 (a) Roller part of transfer roller 12 Conveyor belt 13 Fixing device 14 Pressure roller DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Fixing roller 16 Inner discharge roller pair 17 Outer discharge roller pair 18 Outlet tray 20 Refeed path 21 Polygon mirror 22 Reflecting mirror 23 Double-sided conveyance path 24 Intermediate tray 30 Electrical section 31 Photosensitive drum 40 Charging contact (image processing apparatus main body side)
41 Charging contact (process cartridge side)
42 Charging roller 43 Toner container 44 Stirring member 45 Developing chamber 46 Developing roller 47 Developing blade 48 Developing bias contact (image processing apparatus main body side)
49 Development bias contact (process cartridge side)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 Cleaning blade 51 Waste toner reservoir 52 Memory tag 53 Drum shutter 54 Drum frame 55 Development frame 56 Toner remaining amount detection antenna 56 (a) Antenna part 56 (b) Lead wire part 56 (c) Antenna terminal part 57 Toner remaining Quantity detection antenna contact (image processing device main unit side)
70, 71 Cartridge guide member (process cartridge side)
72, 73 Cartridge rotation restricting contact member 74-77 Cartridge guide member (image processing apparatus main body side)
78 Cartridge holding spring 81 Transfer bearing 81 (a) Transfer bearing protrusion 82 Frame 83 Transfer spring 91 Separation member 92 Separation member positioning portion 94 Separation member separation portion 95 Development bias contact insulating portion 96 Photoconductor protection member 97 Adhesive material 98 Separation member removal portion 99 Square hole provided in separation member removal portion D Cartridge access door P Process cartridge S Sheet

Claims (6)

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium that can be transported with a process cartridge mounted thereon,
The process cartridge having an image carrier, which is detachably attached to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus;
A transfer roller for transferring the image formed on the image carrier to the recording medium;
Detection means for detecting whether the operation of the process cartridge is possible;
A separation member used when the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is transported with the process cartridge mounted, wherein the image carrier and the transfer roller are used to separate the image carrier and the transfer roller. A first spacing portion provided between and
A second separating portion provided between the process cartridge and the detection means for causing the detection means to detect that the process cartridge cannot operate;
A spacing member having
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:   2. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means for detecting whether or not the operation of the process cartridge is possible is a continuity detection of a developing bias contact portion.   2. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means for detecting whether or not the operation of the process cartridge is possible is a conduction detection of a primary charging bias contact portion.   2. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means for detecting whether or not the operation of the process cartridge is possible is a continuity detection of a toner remaining amount detection contact portion.   The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separation member has a removal shape portion used when a user removes the separation member.   In a state where the process cartridge is not attached to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the separation member is not fixed and can be easily attached and detached, and the process cartridge is attached to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is fixed in a state and cannot be detached.

Images