JP2011197063A - Toner cartridge, process cartridge and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner cartridge that does not increase an image fraction defective in use by a user within a predetermined life and enables waste toner to be recycled inexpensively, and to provide a process cartridge.SOLUTION: A developing storage part 2 and a waste toner storage part 3 are divided by a partition part 4a. The partition member 4a is constituted by sticking and connecting a toner sealing seal 22 between two partition materials 4b and 4b. The toner sealing seal 22 is extended to outside a toner hopper part, and drawn from outside the toner hopper part by peeling off the toner sealing seal 22 from the partition member 4b. The partition part 4a loses dividing functions of the development storage part 2 the waste toner storage part 3 by removing the toner sealing seal 22 and the waste toner storage part 3 and the development storage part 2 are connected. The partition member 4b droops and a waste toner does not remain much in the waste toner storage part 3 and is substantially all supplied to the development storage part 2.

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for forming a latent image on an image carrier used in an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer or a digital copying machine using an electrophotographic method, and more particularly to correction of a main scanning magnification of the exposure apparatus. .

  A one-component development method using only toner as a developer of an electrophotographic apparatus is performed, and a toner image formed on a photoconductor is transferred to a recording material such as paper or an intermediate transfer material, and then residual toner on the photoconductor is removed. There is a toner cartridge configured to be transported and accumulated in a waste toner container provided integrally with the toner cartridge after being removed from the photoreceptor with a cleaning blade. As for this toner cartridge, a technology that can be reused by returning the waste toner collected in order to reduce waste due to environmental considerations and returning it to the toner cartridge and mixing it with new toner is already known. It has been.

  However, in a conventional toner cartridge that reuses waste toner, after the waste toner is collected, it is replenished into a new toner in the toner cartridge and developed within a specified life. In such a configuration, the charge stability (charging start-up property) of the mixed toner is reduced with respect to the development of only new toner, so that over time, the problem of toner scattering, background contamination, cleaning failure, and color mixing especially in the color unit occurs. There is a problem that image quality deterioration such as a color change due to the color occurs, and the image defect rate at the time of user use increases within a specified life.

  In Patent Document 1, for the purpose of reducing the deterioration of scumming and toner scattering during toner reuse, the timing of replenishing the collected waste toner is used in a developing device, for example, within a specified period under various conditions. A configuration is disclosed in which waste toner collected when the amount of toner is equal to or greater than a reference amount is mixed with new toner and used.

  Improvements have been made in terms of adjusting the timing of replenishing the collected toner. However, when waste toner is mixed with development of only new toner, the image deteriorates, and the image used by the user within the specified lifespan. The problem that the defect rate increases has not been solved.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enable reuse of waste toner at a low cost without increasing the image defect rate during user use within a specified life.

  Among the toner cartridges according to the present invention, the toner cartridge according to the first aspect is a latent image forming unit having a photoconductor, a charging device, and a cleaning device, a developing unit having a developer container, and the photosensitive device using the cleaning device. In a toner cartridge which is integrally provided with waste toner processing means for transporting and storing transfer residual toner removed from the body, and in which the developer storage portion and the waste toner storage portion are adjacent to each other via a partition portion, the toner The function of the partition is eliminated after the end of the specified life of the cartridge, and the waste toner storage and the development storage are connected.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge of the first aspect, the partition portion is composed of two members.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge of the first aspect, the partition portion is formed of a member having a cut.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge of the second or third aspect, the seal member attached to the member constituting the partition portion is pulled out from the outside of the developer accommodating portion and peeled off from the partition portion. The function of the partition is eliminated, and the waste toner container and the developer container are connected.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge of the fourth aspect, the pulling operation of the seal member is performed by obtaining a driving force from a driving source different from the driving source of the developing means and the photosensitive member. Features.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge of the second or third aspect, the seal member attached to the member constituting the partition is wound from the outside of the developer accommodating portion and peeled off from the partition. Thus, the function of the partition portion is eliminated, and the waste toner storage portion and the development storage portion are connected.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge of the sixth aspect, the winding operation of the seal member is driven by the same drive source as the drive means of the developing means or the photosensitive member, and the developing means Alternatively, the winding operation of the seal member is performed only when the photosensitive member is driven in a direction opposite to the rotation direction during normal operation.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge according to any one of the fourth to seventh aspects, a heat seal is used for the seal member.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge according to any one of the second to seventh aspects, the member constituting the partition portion is made of a flexible material, and is based on a weight of the waste toner in the waste toner storage portion. The partition surface by the partition member is movable, and the capacity of the waste toner container is variable.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, the printing operation is possible even after the specified life has expired and the waste toner container and the development container are connected. It has the means to perform.

  A process cartridge according to claim 11 includes the toner cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 is an image forming apparatus using the toner cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or the process cartridge according to claim 11.
At least one or more control values of the developing roller bias, the regulating blade bias, the charging bias, and the replenishing roller bias at the time of image formation are changed before and after connecting the waste toner storage unit and the development storage unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reuse waste toner at a low cost without increasing the image defect rate during user use within a specified life.

Central cross-sectional schematic configuration diagram of a color electrophotographic apparatus Sectional view of conventional toner cartridge and process cartridge Sectional view of toner cartridge and process cartridge according to the present invention 3 is a perspective view showing a structure for winding a toner seal seal from the cartridge of FIG. Sectional view of the toner cartridge after the toner seal is removed Sectional drawing which shows Example 2 of this invention

  According to the present invention, after the specified life of the toner cartridge ends, the waste toner is mixed with new toner remaining in the toner cartridge so that the toner can be reused. This makes it possible to recycle waste toner at a low cost without increasing the image defect rate during user use within a specified life.

  That is, with respect to a toner cartridge that cleans and collects residual toner remaining on the photosensitive member, when the collected waste toner is mixed with new toner and reused, the collected waste toner within the specified life of the toner cartridge Is stored in the waste toner collection space, and when the specified life of the toner cartridge ends, the waste toner is automatically mixed with the new toner to enable development, and the user can replace it with a new toner cartridge or replace the image. It is characterized by being able to select use in non-guaranteed mode.

  Embodiments of a toner cartridge, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  A description will be given of a case where the connecting mechanism between the developer accommodating portion and the waste toner collecting portion of the toner cartridge according to the present invention is used in a color electrophotographic apparatus. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing the central structure of a color electrophotographic apparatus. First, the structure and operation of a color electrophotographic apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. However, it goes without saying that the object of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated image forming apparatus.

  In the color electrophotographic apparatus 101, process cartridges 106 (106K, 106C, 106M, 106Y) are arranged almost at the center of the machine frame, and a latent image is formed on the photosensitive member 1 as an image carrier above the process cartridge 106. An exposure apparatus 105 for forming is disposed. A transfer belt 103, which is an intermediate transfer member, is installed below the process cartridge 106, and a sheet feeding cassette 108 for loading and storing the recording medium 107 is disposed below the transfer belt 103. The recording medium 107 fed by the supply device 109 passes between the transfer belt 103 and the second transfer device 111 and is guided to the fixing device 112 to thermally fix the toner image on the recording medium 107.

  A first transfer roller 103a is installed at a position where the process cartridge 106 is in contact with the transfer belt 103. By applying a high potential to the first transfer roller 103a, a potential difference is provided between the photoconductor 1 and the transfer belt 103. The toner image formed on the surface is transferred. The toner images for each color are sequentially transferred to the transfer belt 103 by each process cartridge 106, and a plurality of color toner images are formed on the transfer belt 103 by superimposing the single color toner images.

  A recording medium 107 such as paper or an OHP sheet is supplied to the second transfer device 111 from the paper feeding device 109 and the paper transport device 110 at a timing, and a single color or color toner image formed on the surface of the transfer belt 103 is By applying a high potential to the second transfer device 111, a potential difference is provided between the transfer belt 103 and the second transfer device 111, and the toner image formed on the surface of the transfer belt 103 is transferred onto the recording medium 107. The recording medium 107 to which the toner image has been transferred is peeled off from the transfer belt 103, the toner image is melted and fixed on the recording medium 107 by the fixing device 112, and is discharged onto the discharge tray on the upper surface of the color electrophotographic apparatus 101 by the discharge device 113. The paper is ejected.

  Excess toner remaining on the surface of the transfer belt 103 after the toner image is transferred to the recording medium 107 is cleaned by the intermediate transfer member cleaning device 114 and recovered by the toner recovery device 115. The cleaned transfer belt 103 prepares for the transfer of the next toner image.

Next, the electrophotographic image forming process will be described.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the process cartridge 106. The process cartridge shown in FIG. 2 is conventionally known. For reference, a toner cartridge in the prior art will be described with reference to FIG. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the photoreceptor 1 as an image carrier is rotated in the direction of the arrow by a driving device (not shown) installed in the image forming apparatus main body, and the photosensitive layer 1 B on the surface is rotated by the charging roller 11. Charged to a uniform high potential. The uniformly charged photosensitive layer 1 </ b> B is exposed with a light beam L having an optical image from the exposure device 105. By this exposure, an electrostatic latent image composed of a low potential portion where the potential is attenuated and a high potential portion due to initialization is formed on the photosensitive layer 1B.

  Next, when the low potential portion (or high potential portion) of the electrostatic latent image reaches a position where the photosensitive member 1 and the developing roller 12 face each other, the toner is transferred from the developing roller 12 having a thin toner layer formed on the surface thereof to the photosensitive member. 1, a toner image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 1. As the photosensitive member 1 rotates, the toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 103. At this time, there remains untransferred toner remaining on the photoconductor 1 without being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 103, and this untransferred toner is removed from the photoconductor 1 by the cleaning blade 13. A neutralizing device (not shown) is provided downstream of the cleaning blade 13 in the rotation direction of the photosensitive member 1. In the static eliminator, residual charges on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 are removed. A charging roller 11 is provided on the downstream side of the photoreceptor 1 of the static eliminator, and the photoreceptor 1 is again charged to a uniform high potential.

  The apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is a replacement cartridge for an electrophotographic apparatus. In order to improve user maintainability, a latent image forming unit including a photosensitive member 1, a charging roller 11, and a cleaning blade 13, a developing roller 12, and a developer container are provided. 2, the transfer residual toner (hereinafter referred to as waste toner) remaining on the photoreceptor 1 is removed by the cleaning blade 13, and the waste toner collecting means 14 The toner is transported in the depth direction of the paper surface, pumped up by a waste toner transport belt (not shown), recovered to the waste toner recovery unit 3 from the waste toner inlet 15, and then transported to the front side of the paper by the waste toner transport screw 16. It is accumulated almost uniformly inside. In addition, waste toner collected to reduce waste due to environmental considerations is not discarded, and the partition plate 4 between the waste toner collection unit 3 and the developer storage unit 2 is not installed, and the waste toner is again returned to the developer storage unit 2. There is a waste toner recycling method to return to. However, since it causes deterioration of image quality such as toner deterioration and paper dust mixing, the color unit is generally provided with a developer storage unit 2 and a waste toner storage unit 3 as shown in FIG. It is.

<Example 1>
A specific method for reusing waste toner in the toner cartridge and the process cartridge according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3, the developing container 2 and the waste toner container 3 are separated by a partition 4a. When the toner cartridge is transported or printed within the specified number of sheets, new toner and waste toner are obtained. Will not mix. The partition portion 4a is configured by attaching and connecting a toner sealing seal 22 between two partition members 4b and 4b. Although not shown, the toner sealing seal 22 extends to the outside of the toner hopper portion, and can be peeled off from the partition member 4b by pulling the toner sealing seal 22 from the outside of the toner hopper portion. It is configured.

  As a method of pulling the toner sealing seal 22, as shown in FIG. 4, the toner sealing seal 22 is attached to a seal take-up gear 23 that is driven by a driving gear 24 attached outside the toner hopper portion of the process cartridge 106. The toner sealing seal 22 is automatically wound by gear driving by being configured to wind the toner sealing seal 22 by being attached and driven in the rotation direction indicated by the arrow e. The driving gear 24 receives a driving force from a motor installed in the image forming apparatus main body (not shown), and can perform a seal winding operation by simple control.

  The drive gear 24 is connected to the developing roller 12 of the toner cartridge or the photosensitive member 1, and the drive gear 24 or the seal take-up gear 23 uses a one-way clutch or the like so as not to be driven in the normal image forming rotation direction. In addition, by configuring so that the winding operation is performed when the rotation is reversed with respect to the normal image forming rotation direction, the seal winding operation can be performed with a minimum number of parts without disturbing the normal image forming operation. In addition, a one-way clutch is used for the developing roller 12, the photosensitive member 1, and the replenishing roller, and the drive is received only in the image forming rotation direction, thereby causing problems such as toner leakage due to reverse rotation during the seal winding operation. Can be eliminated. Further, by using a heat seal for the toner sealing seal 22, it is possible to prevent toner leakage and to make it easier to peel off from the partition portion 4a in the winding operation.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the toner cartridge after the toner sealing seal 22 is peeled off. When the above-described seal winding operation is performed, the partitioning portion 4a thereafter loses the function of dividing the developing container 2 and the waste toner container 3, and the waste toner container 3 and the developer container 2 are connected. At this time, the partition member 4b is configured to hang as shown in FIG. 4, so that most of the waste toner can be replenished to the developing container 2 without remaining in the waste toner container 3.

  Although not shown in the drawings, a configuration in which two partition members 4b are not used, but one partition member 4b is used, and a portion where the toner sealing seal 22 is attached to the partition member 4b is cut. Is possible. Also in this case, after the partition member 4b hangs down as shown in FIG.

<Example 2>
FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment is a cross-sectional view of a toner cartridge configured such that the position of the partition portion 4 changes depending on the amount of toner.

  In this embodiment, the partition member 4b for separating the developing container 2 and the waste toner container 3 is formed of a flexible material, and when the waste toner does not exist in the waste toner container 3, that is, in the case of a new toner cartridge. Is configured to reduce the capacity of the waste toner container 3. The partition member 4b is deformed as indicated by reference numeral 4b 'in the figure as the amount of waste toner increases, and the capacity of the waste toner container 3 is increased. By reducing the capacity of the waste toner container 3 at the initial stage, the capacity of a new toner that can be mounted in the developer container 2 is increased, and by doing so, a compact toner cartridge configuration can be achieved.

  With the configuration introduced in the above embodiment, waste toner accumulated in the waste toner storage unit 3 can be replenished to the development storage unit 2 at an arbitrary timing and mixed with new toner to form an image. . However, generally, when waste toner is mixed with development of only new toner, the image deteriorates and the image defect rate at the time of user use increases. Therefore, normal toner cartridges have a specified number of prints, but when the specified life of the toner cartridge ends when the waste toner is replenished, the user replaces it with a new toner cartridge or mixes waste toner with new toner. It is possible to select the use in the image non-guaranteed mode with the used toner. By adopting such control, the waste toner can be reused by the user without increasing the image defect rate during user use within the specified life.

  Concerning image defects that occur in the image non-guaranteed mode using a mixture of waste toner and new toner, toner scattering, background contamination, poor cleaning, and the like can be considered. Therefore, with regard to the control of the development characteristics in the image non-guaranteed mode, the image defect can be easily controlled by changing the charging bias, the developing roller bias, the replenishing roller bias, and the regulating blade bias from the control within the normal specified life number. Can be minimized. As an example, it has been confirmed that the background contamination is improved by lowering the charging bias, the developing roller bias, and the replenishing roller bias and raising the regulation blade bias. These controls do not need to change all the biases, and even if only a part of the biases is changed, it is effective.

1: Photoconductor 1B: Photosensitive layer 2: Developer storage unit 3: Waste toner storage unit 4: Partition plate 4a: Partition unit 4b: Partition material 11: Charging roller 12: Development roller 13: Cleaning blade 14: Waste toner collecting means 15: Waste toner inlet 16: Waste toner conveying screw 22: Toner sealing seal 23: Seal winding gear 24: Drive gear 101: Color electrophotographic device 103: Transfer belt 103a: First transfer roller 105: Exposure device 106 (106K) 106C, 106M, 106Y): Process cartridge 107: Recording medium 108: Paper feed cassette 109: Supply device 110: Paper transport device 111: Second transfer device 112: Fixing device 114: Intermediate transfer member cleaning device 115: Toner recovery device

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-092873

Claims (12)

A latent image forming means comprising a photoreceptor, a charging device, and a cleaning device;
A developing means including a developer container;
The cleaning device integrally includes waste toner processing means for transporting and storing the transfer residual toner removed from the photoconductor, and the developer storage portion and the waste toner storage portion are adjacent to each other via a partitioning portion. Toner cartridge
A toner cartridge, wherein the function of the partition portion is eliminated after the specified life of the toner cartridge ends, and the waste toner storage portion and the development storage portion are connected. The toner cartridge according to claim 1.
A toner cartridge, wherein the partition portion is composed of two members. The toner cartridge according to claim 1.
A toner cartridge, wherein the partition portion is formed of a member having a cut. The toner cartridge according to claim 2 or 3,
The waste toner container and the developer container are removed by removing the seal member affixed to the member constituting the partition part from the outside of the developer container and removing the seal member from the partition part. A toner cartridge characterized by connecting the toner cartridges. The toner cartridge according to claim 4.
2. A toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the pulling-out operation of the seal member is performed by obtaining a driving force from a driving source different from the driving source of the developing means and the photosensitive member. The toner cartridge according to claim 2 or 3,
The seal member attached to the member constituting the partition part is wound from the outside of the developer storage part and removed from the partition part to eliminate the function of the partition part, and the waste toner storage part and the development storage A toner cartridge characterized by connecting parts. The toner cartridge according to claim 6.
The winding operation of the seal member is performed by driving from the same drive source as that of the developing means or the photosensitive member, and the developing means or the photosensitive member is driven in a direction opposite to the rotation direction during normal operation. The toner cartridge is configured to perform the winding operation of the sealing member only when it is performed. The toner cartridge according to any one of claims 4 to 7,
A toner cartridge using a heat seal as the sealing member. The toner cartridge according to any one of claims 2 to 7,
The member constituting the partition part is made of a flexible material, the partition surface by the partition member is movable according to the weight of the waste toner in the waste toner storage part, and the capacity of the waste toner storage part is variable. Features toner cartridge.   11. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising means for enabling a printing operation even after the specified life is over and the waste toner container and the developer container are connected. Toner cartridge to be used.   A process cartridge comprising the toner cartridge according to claim 1. An image forming apparatus using the toner cartridge according to claim 1 or the process cartridge according to claim 11.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that at least one or more control values of a developing roller bias, a regulating blade bias, a charging bias, and a replenishing roller bias at the time of image formation are changed before and after connecting the waste toner container and the developer container.