JP2021063542A - Bearing, development apparatus, developer storage container, process cartridge, developer supply device, and image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a bearing capable of inhibiting temperature rise of a bearing seal part where a temperature significantly increases.SOLUTION: A bearing 60 has: a housing 61 serving as a housing member; a flexible toner seal 65 serving as a developer seal member; and a lid member 66 for sealing a liquid enclosed in a sealed space 63 formed in the housing 61. A seal free end part 65a of the toner seal 65 is provided so as to protrude (be exposed) to the side which contacts with the developer and make pressure contact with an outer peripheral surface of a rotary shaft 8a. A seal base end part 65b of the toner seal 65 is fixed to an outer part inner wall surface 61d formed with the sealed space 63 so as to be exposed to the side that does not contact with the developer. Water W being a liquid comprising a substance having heat capacity larger than that of air, is enclosed in a space between an inner part 61a and an outer part 61c partitioned by a rib part 62 of the housing 61, and the space is sealed by the lid member 66.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

The present invention relates to a bearing, a developing device, a developing agent storage container, a process cartridge, a developing agent replenishing device, and an image forming device.

In electrophotographic image forming devices such as copiers and printers, various developing devices are used to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier. Such developing devices include a two-component developing system using a developer containing toner and a carrier, and a one-component developing system using only toner as a developing agent without using a carrier. It has been known.
In these developing devices, a stirring member or a transporting member (hereinafter, a member having a function of stirring and transporting the developing agent is collectively referred to as a "stirring and transporting member") used in a place where the developer or toner comes into contact with the toner is used. The toner is charged by circulating or stirring the toner.

If the stirring and transporting member is not kept at 40 to 50 ° C. or lower, the heat of the stirring and transporting member is transferred to the toner in the vicinity of contact with the toner, so that the toner melts and abnormalities such as toner aggregates occur. Problems such as locking of the image and the rotation drive unit will occur. In recent years, while toner has become fixed at low temperatures, especially from the viewpoint of energy saving, the rotation speed of the stirring and transporting member has increased from the viewpoint of high productivity (speeding up of equipment), and the shaft and the bearing or the sealing member have become The heat generated by friction is increasing. Therefore, compatibility of each technology from the above viewpoint is increasing in importance.

Therefore, the following techniques have been proposed for the purpose of providing a rotating member having a shaft member capable of suppressing a temperature rise due to friction between the shaft and the bearing portion and a developing device provided with the rotating member (for example, Patent Document). 1).
Patent Document 1 describes a shaft member that is slidably supported by a support portion when rotating, and the shaft member is filled with a liquid at least to an end including a portion supported by the support portion. A technique for including a rotating member having a hollow portion inside is disclosed.

However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the temperature rise of the bearing seal portion where the temperature rise becomes large cannot be suppressed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bearing having a developer seal member, which can suppress a temperature rise of a bearing seal portion in which a large temperature rise occurs. To do.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a bearing that rotatably supports a stirring and transporting member having a function of stirring and transporting a developing agent and has a developing agent sealing member. It has flexibility, one end side of the developer sealing member is provided so as to be exposed to the side in contact with the developer, and the other end side of the developer seal member is in contact with the developer. A substance having at least one of the heat capacity and the heat conductivity larger than that of air was brought into contact with the other end side of the developer sealing member so as to be exposed on the side not exposed.

According to the present invention, in a bearing having a developer seal member, it is possible to provide a bearing capable of suppressing a temperature rise in a bearing seal portion where the temperature rise becomes large.

It is the schematic whole block diagram of the copying machine as an example of the image forming apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is an external perspective view of the copying machine of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the schematic structure of a developing apparatus and a photoconductor. It is a simplified perspective view which shows the structure of the developing apparatus of each color, and the developer replenishing apparatus which replenishes a premix toner to the developing apparatus. It is a simplified sectional view of the developer storage container. It is sectional drawing of the developer storage container. It is sectional drawing of the main part of the bearing which concerns on Example 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the bearing main part in the case where water as a liquid is not sealed in the closed space formed in the bearing of FIG. 7, and the lid member is removed. FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of the bearing of FIG. 8 when viewed from the direction of arrow R. It is a figure explaining the method of assembling the rotating shaft to the toner seal part of a bearing so that the seal free end part including a seal opening hole of a toner seal is not turned over. It is a graph which shows the result of having tested about the difference in the temperature rise effect of a toner seal part. It is sectional drawing of the main part of the bearing which concerns on Example 2. FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention including examples will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Components (members and components) having the same function, shape, and the like throughout the embodiments and the like will be described by giving the same reference numerals unless there is a risk of confusion, and then the description thereof will be omitted. When the components of the published patent gazette and the like are cited and explained, the reference numerals thereof shall be shown in parentheses to distinguish them from those of the respective embodiments and the like.

As an example of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied, a tandem type color laser copying machine (hereinafter, simply referred to as a copying machine) in which a plurality of photoconductors are arranged side by side will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a copying machine as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
The copying machine shown in FIG. 1 includes a printer unit 100 which is an image forming unit, a paper feeding device 200 on which the image forming unit is placed, a scanner 300 fixed on the printer unit 100, and an automatic document transporting device 400 fixed on the scanner 300. And so on.

The printer unit 100 is an image forming unit composed of four sets of process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K for forming an image of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). It has 20. Y, M, C, and K added as subscripts to the numbers of each code indicate that they are members for yellow, cyan, magenta, and black (the same applies hereinafter). In addition to the process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K, the printer unit 100 includes an optical writing unit 21, an intermediate transfer unit 17, a secondary transfer device 22, a resist roller pair 49, a belt fixing type fixing device 25, and the like. It is arranged.

The optical writing unit 21, which is an exposure means / exposure device, emits laser light onto the surface of a photoconductor, which will be described later, based on the image data of the original image read by the scanner 300 or the image data input from an external device such as a personal computer. Irradiate. The optical writing unit 21 uses a laser beam scanner method using a laser diode, but other configurations such as those using an LED array may be used as the exposure means.

The process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K omit the drum-shaped photoconductor 1, charging device 2, developing device 4, photoconductor cleaning device 3, and static elimination device (not shown) as latent image carriers. It has a structure in which it is integrally supported by the unit frame and unitized. The process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body by releasing the stopper members which are the attachment and detachment means arranged in each of the process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K.
As a result, the process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K are taken out from the image forming apparatus main body as the process cartridge 18 when the members mounted therein have reached the end of their service life, and the members that have reached the end of their service life are removed. By being able to replace it with a new one, the workability of replacing consumables and the like is improved, and the operability of the replacer is improved.

The four sets of process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K have almost the same configuration except that the colors forming the image are different, except for the contents to be specified. Therefore, the process cartridges 18Y for yellow will be described below as a representative. .. Each of the developing devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K is a developing device of a two-component developing method in which the colors of the toners used are different, and the developing devices of each color contain a two-component developing agent containing a toner and a carrier. Has been done.

The surface of the photoconductor 1Y rotating counterclockwise in the drawing is uniformly charged by the charging device 2Y, which is a charging means. The charging member of the charging device 2Y is a roller-shaped charging roller, which is pressed against the surface of the photoconductor 1Y and is driven to rotate by the rotation of the photoconductor 1Y. At the time of image formation, a predetermined charging bias is applied to the charging roller of the charging member by a high-voltage power source to uniformly charge the surface of the photoconductor 1Y. The charging device 2Y is not limited to this, and a non-contact charging method such as corona charging may be used.
The surface of the photoconductor 1Y that has been charged is irradiated with laser light modulated and deflected by the optical writing unit 21. Then, the potential of the irradiation portion (exposure portion) on the surface of the photoconductor 1Y is attenuated. Due to this attenuation, an electrostatic latent image for Y is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 1Y. The formed electrostatic latent image for Y is developed by a developing device 4Y, which is a developing means, to become a Y toner image.

The Y toner image formed on the photoconductor 1Y for Y is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 101 described later. The surface of the photoconductor 1Y after the primary transfer is cleaned with the transfer residual toner and the like by the photoconductor cleaning device 3Y, which is a photoconductor cleaning means. In the process cartridge 18Y for Y, the photoconductor 1Y cleaned by the photoconductor cleaning device 3Y is statically eliminated by the static elimination device. Then, it is uniformly charged by the charging device 2Y again and returns to the initial state. The series of processes as described above is the same for the other process cartridges 18M, 18C, 18K.

The intermediate transfer unit 17 includes an intermediate transfer belt 101, a belt cleaning device 102, a tension roller 14, a drive roller 15, a secondary transfer backup roller 16, four primary transfer bias rollers 19Y, 19M, 19C, 19K and the like. ing.

The above-mentioned Y toner image formed on the photoconductor 1Y for Y is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 101 by the influence of the primary transfer electric field and the primary nip pressure. On the Y toner image, the M toner image, the C toner image, and the K toner image formed on the photoconductors 1M, 1C, and 1K for M, C, and K are sequentially superimposed and primary transferred. By the primary transfer of this superposition, a four-color superimposition toner image (hereinafter referred to as a four-color toner image), which is a multi-color toner image, is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 101.
The four-color toner image superimposed and transferred on the intermediate transfer belt 101 is secondarily transferred to a transfer paper as a sheet-shaped recording medium by a secondary transfer nip described later. The transfer residual toner and the like remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 101 after passing through the secondary transfer nip are cleaned by the belt cleaning device 102.

The following operations are performed in the secondary transfer device 22 in which the paper transport belt 24 is stretched by the two tension rollers 23 arranged at the lower part of the intermediate transfer unit 17 in the drawing. The paper transport belt 24 is endlessly moved counterclockwise in the drawing with the rotational drive of at least one of the tension rollers 23. Of the two tension rollers 23, one roller 23 arranged on the right side in the drawing has an intermediate transfer belt 101 and a paper transport belt 24 between the intermediate transfer unit 17 and the secondary transfer backup roller 16. It is sandwiched. By this sandwiching, a secondary transfer nip is formed in which the intermediate transfer belt 101 of the intermediate transfer unit 17 and the paper transport belt 24 of the secondary transfer device 22 come into contact with each other.
Then, a secondary transfer bias having the opposite polarity to the toner is applied to the one of the tension rollers 23 by the power supply. By applying this secondary transfer bias, the four-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 101 of the intermediate transfer unit 17 is electrostatically moved to the secondary transfer nip from the belt side toward the one tension roller 23 side. The next transfer electric field is formed. The transfer paper fed to the secondary transfer nip in synchronization with the four-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 101 by the resist roller pair 49 described later was affected by the secondary transfer electric field and nip pressure described above. The color toner image is secondarily transferred.

In the paper feed device 200 provided at the bottom of the copier main body, a plurality of paper feed cassettes 44 capable of accommodating a plurality of sheets of transfer paper in a bundle state are arranged so as to overlap in the vertical direction. Has been done. Each paper cassette 44 presses the paper feed roller 42 against the transfer paper at the top of the paper bundle. Then, the plurality of paper feed cassettes are rotated by rotating the paper feed roller 42 based on the signal output from the control unit to feed the transfer paper from any of the plurality of paper feed cassettes 44 in the paper feed device 200. The top transfer paper is sent out from any one of the 44 toward the paper feed path 46.

The paper feed path 46 that receives the transfer paper sent out from the paper feed cassette 44 has a plurality of transport roller pairs 47 and a resist roller pair 49 provided near the end of the transport roller pair 47. Then, the transfer paper is conveyed toward the resist roller pair 49. The transfer paper conveyed toward the resist rollers vs. 49 is abutted between the roller nips of the resist rollers vs. 49 that are temporarily stopped. On the other hand, in the intermediate transfer unit 17, the four-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 101 enters the secondary transfer nip as the intermediate transfer belt 101 moves endlessly. The resist roller pair 49 sends out the transfer paper sandwiched between the rollers at a timing that allows the transfer paper to be brought into close contact with the four-color toner image at the secondary transfer nip. As a result, in the secondary transfer nip, the four-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 101 adheres to the transfer paper and is secondarily transferred onto the transfer paper to obtain a full-color image on the white transfer paper. The transfer paper on which the full-color image is formed in this way exits the secondary transfer nip as the paper transport belt 24 moves endlessly, and then is sent from the top of the paper transport belt 24 to the fixing device 25.

In the fixing device 25, the fixing belt 26 and the pressure roller 27 are in contact with each other to form a fixing nip, and the transfer paper received from the paper transport belt 24 is sandwiched between the fixing nips. Of the two rollers in the belt unit, the roller pressed by the pressurizing roller 27 has a heat source inside, and pressurizes the fixing belt 26 while heating it. The heated / pressurized fixing belt 26 heats the transfer paper sandwiched between the fixing nips. The full-color image is fixed on the transfer paper by this heating and nip pressure.
In the illustrated example, the transfer paper is inverted and ejected below the secondary transfer device 22 and the fixing device 25 in parallel with the image forming unit 20 described above, or the transfer paper is formed on both sides of the transfer paper. It is provided with a reversing device 28 for reversing and refeeding.

The transfer paper that has been fixed in the fixing device 25 is stacked on a stack portion 57 provided on the outside of the left side plate in the drawing of the printer housing. Alternatively, the transfer paper that has been subjected to the fixing treatment is sent to the reversing device 28 after being switched in the transport direction by the switching claw 29 in order to form a toner image on the other surface, and is sent via the reversing device 28. Is returned to the above-mentioned secondary transfer nip.

When a copy of a document is taken, for example, a bundle of sheet documents is set on the platen 30 of the automatic document transfer device 400. However, if the original is a single-bound original that is closed in a book shape, it is set on the contact glass 32. Prior to this set, the automatic document transfer device 400 is opened for the copier main body, and the contact glass 32 of the scanner 300 is exposed. After that, the single-bound document is pressed by the closed automatic document transfer device 400.

After the document is set in this way, when the copy start button 38a arranged on the operation display unit 37 shown in FIG. 2 is pressed, the document scanning operation by the scanner 300 starts. However, when a sheet document is set in the document automatic transfer device 400, the original document automatic transfer device 400 automatically moves the sheet document to the contact glass 32 prior to the document reading operation. In the document reading operation, first, the first traveling body 33 and the second traveling body 34 both start traveling, and light is emitted from a light source provided in the first traveling body 33. Then, the reflected light from the document surface is reflected by the mirror provided in the second traveling body 34, passes through the imaging lens 35, and then is incident on the reading sensor 36. The reading sensor 36 produces image information by performing photoelectric conversion based on the incident light.

In parallel with such a document reading operation, each device and member in each process cartridge 18Y, 18M, 18C, 18K, an intermediate transfer unit 17, a secondary transfer device 22, and a fixing device 25 start driving, respectively. Then, the optical writing unit 21 is driven and controlled based on the image information produced by the reading sensor 36, and is placed on each of the photoconductors 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K by the above-mentioned operations of the above-mentioned devices and members. A Y toner image, an M toner image, a C toner image, and a K toner image are formed. These toner images are four-color toner images that are superimposed and transferred on the intermediate transfer belt 101.

Further, almost at the same time as the start of the document reading operation, the paper feeding operation is started in the paper feeding device 200. In this paper feeding operation, one of the paper feeding rollers 42 is selectively rotated, and the transfer paper is fed out from one of the paper feeding cassettes 44 housed in the paper bank 43 in multiple stages. The transferred transfer paper is separated one by one by the separation roller pair 45, enters the feeding path 46, and then is conveyed toward the secondary transfer nip by the transfer roller pair 47.
Instead of such paper feeding from the paper feed cassette 44, paper feeding may be performed from the manual feed tray 51. In this case, after the manual feed roller 50 is selectively rotated to feed the transfer paper on the manual feed tray 51, the separation roller pair 52 separates the transfer paper one by one and supplies the transfer paper to the manual paper feed path 53 of the printer unit 100. Paper.

In this copying machine, when forming a multicolor image composed of toners of two or more colors, the following is performed. That is, the upper tensioning surface of the intermediate transfer belt 101 is stretched so as to be substantially horizontal, and all the photoconductors 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K are brought into contact with the upper tensioning surface, and the corresponding primary transfer bias is obtained. The rollers 19Y, 19M, 19C, 19K are pressed against the back surface of the intermediate transfer belt 101. On the other hand, when forming a monochrome image consisting of only K toner, the intermediate transfer belt 101 is tilted to the lower left in the drawing by the swing mechanism, and the upper tension surface and the primary transfer bias roller are tilted. The 19Y, 19M, 19C are separated from the photoconductors 1Y, 1M, 1C. Then, of the four photoconductors 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K, only the photoconductor 1K for K is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing, and only the K toner image is imaged. At this time, with respect to Y, M, and C, not only the photoconductor but also the developing device is stopped to be driven to prevent unnecessary consumption of the photoconductor and the developing agent.

As shown in FIG. 2, the copier is provided with an operation display unit 37 that gives an operation instruction to each of the above-mentioned devices and devices in the copier and confirms an operation status. The operation display unit 37 is provided with various key buttons such as a copy start button 38a and a numeric keypad 38b, and a touch panel type liquid crystal display unit 39. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 58 opens and closes when the process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, 18K and the developer storage container described later are attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body, and when various inspections and maintenance are performed. Shows the front door. Further, the present copying machine includes a control unit composed of the above-mentioned devices in the copying machine, a CPU that controls each device, and the like.
The operator has one of three modes for the single-sided print mode, which is a mode in which an image is formed on only one side of the transfer paper by sending a command to the control unit by a key input operation on the operation display unit 37. You can choose one. These three single-sided print modes include a direct discharge mode, a reverse discharge mode, and a reverse decal discharge mode.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the arrangement relationship of the developing device in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1, the developing agent replenishing device of each color to which the present invention is applied, and the developing agent storage container of each color to which the present invention is applied will be described.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged configuration diagram showing a developing device 4 and a photoconductor 1 included in one of the four process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K. FIG. 4 is a simplified perspective view showing the overall configuration of the developing devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4K for each color and the developing agent replenishing devices 70Y, 70M, 70C, 70K for replenishing the premixed toner to these developing devices. is there.

First, the developing apparatus in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The four process cartridges 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18K have almost the same configuration except that the colors of the toners they handle are different. Therefore, in FIG. 3, Y, M, attached to the photoconductor 1 and the developing device 4 The subscripts C and K are omitted.
As shown in FIG. 3, the photoconductor 1 has a drum shape extending from the front side of the paper surface to the back side of the paper surface in the figure. The surface of the photoconductor 1 is uniformly charged by the charging device 2 (not shown in FIG. 3, see FIG. 1) while rotating in the direction of arrow G1 in the drawing. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the charged photoconductor 1 by a laser beam emitted from an optical writing unit 21 (not shown in FIG. 3, see FIG. 1).

The developing apparatus 4 has a developing roller 5, a collecting screw 6, a feeding screw 8, and a stirring screw 11 inside a developing casing 40 which is a developing container, and the developing apparatus 4 has a two-component developer (a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier). (Including the case where an additive or the like is added) is stirred and conveyed to be circulated.

The developing roller 5 has a magnet roller 5b in which a plurality of magnets are arranged in the circumferential direction, and a cylindrical developing sleeve 5c rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 5a around the magnet roller 5b. The developing roller 5 is a developing agent carrier that supplies toner in the developing agent to a latent image on the surface of the photoconductor 1 while moving the surface in the direction of arrow I in the drawing to develop the developing agent. The developing roller 5 forms a developing region (hereinafter, also referred to as a developing unit) by facing the photoconductor 1 in close proximity to the developing roller 5. The portion of the developing casing 40 corresponding to the portion facing the photoconductor 1 is open to expose the developing roller 5. The developing agent in the developing casing 40 is conveyed to the developing region by the developing roller 5 as described later.

The supply screw 8 is a supply and transport member that conveys the developer in the depth direction of the paper surface of FIG. 3 while supplying the developer to the developing roller 5. The supply screw 8 has a rotating shaft 8a and a spiral-shaped blade portion 8b integrally fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the rotating shaft 8a, and rotates in the direction of arrow M in the drawing to apply a developer in the axial direction. Transport. A developing doctor 12 as a developing agent regulating member that regulates the thickness of the developing agent supplied to the developing roller 5 to a thickness suitable for development is provided on the downstream side of the developing roller 5 from the portion facing the supply screw 8 in the surface moving direction. ing.

The developed developer that has passed through the developing section is collected on the downstream side in the surface moving direction from the developing section, which is the portion of the developing roller 5 facing the photoconductor 1, and the recovered recovering developer is supplied in the same direction as the screw 8. It is provided with a recovery screw 6 as a recovery transport member for transporting to. The recovery screw 6 has a rotating shaft 6a and a spiral-shaped blade portion 6b integrally fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the rotating shaft 6a.
The supply transport path 9 provided with the supply screw 8 is juxtaposed in the left lateral direction of the developing roller 5, and the recovery transport path 7 provided with the recovery screw 6 is juxtaposed below the developing roller 5.

The developing apparatus 4 is provided with a stirring transfer path 10 in parallel with the recovery transfer path 7 below the supply transfer path 9. The stirring transfer path 10 includes a stirring screw 11 as a stirring transfer member that conveys the developer to the front side in the drawing in the direction opposite to the supply screw 8 while stirring the developer by rotating in the direction of arrow C in the drawing. .. The stirring screw 11 has a rotating shaft 11a and a spiral-shaped blade portion 11b integrally fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the rotating shaft 11a.

The supply transport path 9 and the stirring transport path 10 are partitioned by a first partition wall 133. The portion of the first partition wall 133 that partitions the supply transport path 9 and the stirring transport path 10 has openings at both ends of the front side and the back side in the drawing, and the supply transport path 9 and the stirring transport path 10 are separated from each other. Communicating.
Both the supply transport path 9 and the recovery transport path 7 are partitioned by the first partition wall 133, but no opening is provided at the portion of the first partition wall 133 that separates the supply transport path 9 and the recovery transport path 7. Further, the two transport paths of the stirring transport path 10 and the recovery transport path 7 are partitioned by a second partition wall 134 as a partition member. The second partition wall 134 has an opening on the front side in the drawing, and the stirring transfer path 10 and the recovery transfer path 7 communicate with each other.

The supply transport path 9 includes a developer discharge port 94 that discharges a part of the developer in the supply transport path 9 to the outside of the developing apparatus 4 when the developer exceeds a predetermined volume, and discharges the developer from the developer discharge port 94. It has a discharge transport path 13 provided with a discharge transport screw 13a for transporting the developed developer to the outside of the developing apparatus 4.
Although the detailed shape of the discharge transfer screw 13a is not shown, it has a rotating shaft and a spiral-shaped blade portion integrally fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the rotating shaft.
The discharge transport path 13 is arranged so as to be adjacent to the supply transport path 9 with the partition wall 135 on the downstream side in the transport direction of the supply transport path 9, and the developer discharge port 94 is arranged with the supply transport path 9 and the discharge transport path 13. It is an opening provided in the partition wall 135 so as to communicate with each other.

As described above, the recovery screw 6, the supply screw 8, the stirring screw 11, and the discharging screw 13a are the stirring and transporting members according to the present invention, which have the functions of stirring and transporting the developer. Strictly speaking, the agitating and transporting member means a member having at least one function of stirring and transporting the developer and at least one of the functions of stirring and transporting the recovered developer. To do.

Since the developing apparatus 4 uses a two-component developer containing toner and a carrier, the developing apparatus is provided from a developer supply port provided in a part of the developing apparatus 4 according to the toner consumption in the developing apparatus 4. Toner is appropriately replenished in 4. That is, the toner and the carrier are brought into the stirring transfer path 10 from the developer supply port provided on the upper side of the stirring transfer path 10 near the opening of the first partition wall 133 on the upstream side in the developer transport direction in the stirring transfer path 10. The two-component developer containing it is replenished. Hereinafter, a developer in which a toner and a carrier to be supplied to the developing apparatus 4 are mixed as described later is referred to as a “premix toner”.

In the developing apparatus 4 of the present embodiment, a toner containing a polyester resin as a main component (average particle size 5.8 [μm]) and a carrier (average particle size 35 [μm]) which are magnetic fine particles are placed in a toner concentration. About 300 [g] of a developer uniformly mixed so as to have a value of 4 to 10 [wt%] is filled. Then, by rotating the supply screw 8, the recovery screw 6, and the stirring screw 11 arranged in parallel at 600 [rpm], the developer is conveyed and the new premix toner replenished from the developer supply port is stirred. At the same time, the toner and the carrier are uniformly mixed and charged.
Further, in the present embodiment, a toner having an outflow start temperature of 90 ° C. or lower was used. By using a toner (low temperature fixing toner) having an outflow start temperature of 90 ° C. or lower, fixing can be performed at a low temperature, and energy saving and high speed of the image forming apparatus can be achieved.

The premix toner replenished from the developer supply port is stirred and conveyed by the stirring screw 11 together with the developing agent in the developing apparatus 4, and further stirred and mixed while being conveyed by the recovery screw 6 and the supply screw 8. In this way, the developer uniformly stirred and mixed by the stirring and transporting member was contained in the developing sleeve 5c while being transported in the longitudinal direction by the supply screw 8 provided in parallel with the developing sleeve 5c. It is delivered to the outer peripheral surface of the developing sleeve 5c by the magnetic force of the magnet roller 5b. The developer delivered to the surface of the developing sleeve 5c reaches the developing region by rotating the developing sleeve 5c after being appropriately regulated by the developing doctor 12 installed above the developing sleeve 5c. By applying a voltage to the developing sleeve 5c from a high-voltage power source (not shown), a developing electric field is formed between the developing sleeve 5c and the photoconductor 1 in the developing region. By this developing electric field, the toner in the developer on the surface of the developing sleeve 5c is supplied to the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor 1, adheres to the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 1, and appears as a toner image. It is imaged and developed.

The developer on the surface of the developing sleeve 5c after passing through the developing region is recovered in the recovery transport path 7 in the developing apparatus 4 as the developing sleeve 5c rotates. The developer recovered in the recovery transport path 7 is transported to the front side of the cross section in FIG. 3, and the developer is transferred to the stirring transport path 10 at the opening of the first partition wall 133 provided in the non-image region portion. It is supposed to be done.

With reference to FIG. 4, the arrangement relationship between the developer replenishment device for each color to which the present invention is applied and the developer storage container for each color to which the present invention is applied will be described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the developing devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4K for each color and the developing agent replenishing devices 70Y, 70M, 70C, 70K for replenishing the developing device with premix toner.
In the X, Y, and Z coordinates of FIGS. 5 and 6 described later, including FIG. 4, the X direction is the width direction of the developing device and the width direction corresponding to the width of the developing agent storage container (left and right in FIG. 1). The directions are the length direction of the rotation axis of the developing roller and the supply / recovery screw built in the developing device, and the front-back direction corresponding to the depth of the developer storage container as shown in FIG. 1 (front side of the paper surface and back side of the paper surface orthogonal to the paper surface). The Z direction is the vertical direction corresponding to the height of the developing device and the developing agent storage container.

In FIG. 4, the casing of the developing apparatus 4 is specifically composed of a developing case, a developing case, a developing cover, and the like. It is simply shown as a developing casing 40 by omitting it. As described above, the developing casing 40 is simply illustrated in a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the Y direction in order to simplify the drawing.

The developer replenishing devices 70Y, 70M, 70C, 70K are arranged above the developing devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4K. Since the sub-hoppers of each color not shown corresponding to the developer replenishing devices 70Y, 70M, 70C, 70K and the developing agent replenishing devices 70Y, 70M, 70C, 70K are the same, Y, M, C. , K will be omitted as appropriate.
The developer replenishing device 70 has a developer storage container 71 that stores the premix toner and the sub hopper.

The sub-hopper has a developer storage unit (not shown) that temporarily stores the premix toner supplied from the developer storage container 71, and the premix toner stored in the developer storage unit to the developing apparatus 4. It has a transport unit (not shown) for transport. The developer storage unit and the transport unit are provided inside the case of the sub hopper, and are formed by partitioning the inside of the case with a partition wall (not shown).
Further, the sub-hopper is provided with a developer replenishment driving unit (not shown) used when replenishing the premix toner to the developing device 4.

The sub-hopper has, for example, the same configuration as disclosed in FIGS. 12 to 14 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-215601. That is, the first stirring and transporting member (96) and the second stirring and transporting member (97) are arranged side by side in the developer storage unit (90a) similar to that shown in FIG. 12 of the same publication. There is. The first stirring and transporting member (96) has a rotating shaft (96c) and a spiral screw (96b) having a large pitch. The second stirring and transporting member (97) has a known configuration in which a spiral screw (97b) having a large pitch and a paddle (97a) are provided on the rotating shaft (97c). These the first stirring and transporting member (96) and the second stirring and transporting member (97) are stirring and transporting members having a function of stirring and transporting the developer.

In the present embodiment, the developer storage unit is provided, and the premix toner is stored in the developer storage unit. As a result, even if the developer storage container 71 is emptied, the toner can be replenished to the developing device 4 for a while by the premix toner stored in the developing agent storage unit. As a result, a good image can be formed while the user prepares a new developer storage container.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the C-color and K-color developer storage containers 71C and 71K are attached, and shows a state in which the Y-color and M-color developer storage containers 71Y and 71K are detached.
Hereinafter, the Y color, M color, C color, and K color (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) developer storage containers 71 have the same configuration except that the color of the premix toner stored is different. Therefore, the reference numerals representing the respective colors are omitted, and the description will be given as the developer storage container 71. The toner amount of the premix toner in the developer storage container 71 in the present embodiment is 25 to 35% by weight.
The developer storage container 71 is held by a container holding unit 77, which is a developer storage container storage unit that houses the developer storage container 71.

The container holding portion 77 is divided into four, and the developing agent storage container 71 of Y color, M color, C color, and K color (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) is held in this order from the left side in the drawing. .. The developer storage container 71 is held in a detachable and removable manner with respect to the container holding portion 77. When the premic toner in the developer storage container 71 runs out, the user pulls out the developer storage container 71 from the container holding unit 77 and inserts a new developer storage container 71 into the container holding unit 77. As a result, new premix toner is supplied to the sub hopper.

The developer replenishing devices 70Y, 70M, 70C, and 70K are arranged on the front side of the image forming apparatus, that is, on the front side of the paper surface in FIG. 1 and on the right front door 58 side shown in FIG. 2, and the user is on the front side of the image forming apparatus. The developer storage container 71 can be accessed from.

The internal configuration of the developer storage container 71 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the developer storage container 71, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the developer storage container.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the developer storage container 71 is arranged in the container main body 71A1 (the container main body 71A2 side is invisible because the cross section is formed) and the container main body 71A1 as the developer storage portion. It includes a transport screw 72 as a supply member and an agitator 73 as a stirring member. The agitator 73 is arranged in the container body 71A1 in parallel with the transport screw 72.

The agitator 73 is a drive coupling member integrally molded with a shaft portion 731 as a shaft, a bone portion 734 as a connecting portion integrally molded with the shaft portion 731, and a shaft portion 731 at an end portion of the shaft portion 731. It includes a drive coupling 74 and a blade portion 732 attached to the bone portion 734.

The shaft portion 731 and the bone portion 734 of the agitator 73 are formed as a rigid body having rigidity. Further, the blade portion 732 of the agitator 73 has flexibility. Therefore, when the blade portion 732 of the agitator 73 comes into contact with the inner wall 71b of the container body 71A1, the blade portion 732 bends and the agitator 73 rotates. The transport screw 72 transports the premix toner conveyed by the agitator 73 to the sub hopper.

It is desirable that the flexible blade portion 732 is manufactured of a material having low rigidity. For example, the blade portion 732 is preferably made of a sheet-like flexible material made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), polyurethane or the like. The thickness of the blade portion 732 is preferably about 50 [μm] to 500 [μm], more preferably 50 [μm] to 300 [μm].

A drive used to supply the premixed toner in the developer storage container 71 to the sub-hopper of the developer replenishment device 70 shown in FIG. 4 on the apparatus main body side corresponding to the developer storage container 71 of each color. A developer supply driving unit (not shown), which is a unit, is arranged. The developer supply drive unit also drives the agitator 73 of the developer storage container 71, the transfer screw 72, and various stirring and transfer members arranged in the sub hopper.
In the developer supply drive unit, a replenishment drive motor as a drive source and a rotational driving force of the replenishment drive motor are applied to the agitator 73 of the developer storage container 71, the transfer screw 72, and various stirring and transfer members in the sub hopper. A driving force transmission member such as a gear to be transmitted is arranged.

The agitator 73 is driven by the developer supply drive unit, and is integrated with the shaft portion 731 arranged in parallel with the transfer screw 72, and rotates in the arrow NR direction (forward rotation direction) shown by the broken line in FIG. Then, the agitator 73 conveys the premixed toner containing the carrier C and the toner T, which is the developer G contained in the container body 71A1, so as to move toward the conveying screw 72 while stirring.

In the agitator 73, the drive coupling 74, the shaft portion 731, and the bone portion 734 are integrally molded. The agitator 73 is an integrated product in which the drive coupling 74, the shaft portion 731, and the bone portion 734 are integrally molded, and should also be called an agitator integrated product as an integrated product of the stirring member. More specifically, in the agitator 73, the drive coupling 74, the shaft portion 731, and the bone portion 734 are integrally molded using resin.

The agitator 73 may be formed by molding the drive coupling 74, the shaft portion 731, and the bone portion 734 in pairs using ABS resin or PC resin, but there is no problem in forming the agitator 73 with the main body coupling 85. A polyacetal resin (POM) having excellent slidability is preferable in relation to meshing.
As described above, the transfer screw 72 and the agitator 73 are the stirring transfer members according to the present invention.

(Example 1)
The first embodiment according to the characteristic portion of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the bearing according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the bearing in a state where water as a liquid is not sealed in the closed space formed in the bearing of FIG. 7 and the lid member is removed. FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of the bearing of FIG. 8 when viewed from the direction of arrow R. The bearing 60'shown in FIG. 8 represents a bearing in a state in which water W is not sealed in the closed space 63 described later and the lid member 66 is removed.
FIG. 7 shows the bearing configuration of one end of the recovery screw 6, the supply screw 8, and the stirring screw 11, but the bearing configuration of the other end on the opposite side, which is omitted in FIG. 7, is also mounted on the left and right sides. Others are the same as the bearing configuration of one end on one side. Since the recovery screw 6, the supply screw 8, and the stirring screw 11 have almost the same configuration except that the detailed functions are different as described above, the bearing configuration of one end portion mounted on the rotating shaft 8a of the supply screw 8 is described below. (The same applies to Example 2 shown in FIG. 12 described later).

In FIG. 7, the right side of the vertical wall-shaped developing casing 40 extending in the vertical direction Z is the outside of the unit of the developing device 4, and the left side of the inner wall surface of the vertical wall of the developing casing 40 is the inside of the unit of the developing device 4. Shown. As shown in FIG. 7, the developing apparatus 4 has one end on one side and the other end on the opposite side ((not shown)) which are at least a part in the length direction (Y direction) of the rotation shaft 8a of the supply screw 8. It is provided with a bearing 60 that rotatably supports it.
The bearing 60 contains a housing 61 which is a housing member constituting the bearing 60, a toner seal 65 as a developer sealing member for sealing a developer, and a liquid sealed in a closed space 63 formed inside the housing 61. It has a lid member 66 for sealing.

The housing 61 includes an inner portion 61a which is a slide bearing portion that rotatably and slidably supports the rotating shaft 8a of the supply screw 8, an outer portion 61c which is mounted and fixed to the developing casing 40, and a plurality of housings 61 shown only in FIG. It has a rib portion 62. The housing 61 is integrally formed or integrally molded with the inner portion 61a, the outer portion 61c, and the rib portion 62 with a polyacetal resin (POM) having excellent wear resistance and slidability.
A shaft insertion hole 61b penetrating in the Y direction is formed in the contact portion of the inner portion 61a with the rotating shaft 8a. In the figure of the outer portion 61c, the lower positioning portion 61e extends downward in the vertical direction Z and is positioned when the developing casing 40 is mounted and fixed.

As shown only in FIG. 9, the rib portion 62 extends radially from the inner portion 61a to the outer portion 61c to integrally and firmly bond the inner portion 61a and the outer portion 61c, and FIGS. 7 and 8 show. Etc., the illustration is omitted for the sake of simplification of the figure (this is the same in each figure showing the bearing described later). The material of the housing 61 is not limited to the above-mentioned one, and may be another resin having excellent wear resistance and slidability.

The toner seal 65 is integrally formed of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is a kind of fluororesin having flexibility and excellent heat resistance and chemical resistance. The material of the toner seal 65 is not limited to the above-mentioned one, and may be rubber having excellent heat resistance and the like. The toner seal 65 has a substantially trumpet / conical shape having an opening through which the entire shape of the toner seal 65 penetrates. The thickness of the toner seal 65 is such that the free end portion 65a of the seal including the seal opening hole 65c is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 8a due to its flexibility or elasticity to ensure the developer sealability. It is set to approximately 0.2 to 0.3 [mm].

The free-seal end portion 65a, which is one end side of the toner seal 65, is provided so as to be in pressure contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 8a, and is provided so as to protrude to the side in contact with the developer (not shown). The seal base end portion 65b, which is the other end side of the toner seal 65, is attached and fixed to the inner wall surface 61d of the outer portion of the housing 61 in which the sealed space 63 is formed. In other words, the seal base end portion 65b of the toner seal 65 is provided so as to be exposed on the side that does not come into contact with the developer (not shown).
As described above, in the shape arrangement state of the toner seal 65 in FIG. 7, the seal free end portion 65a is provided so as to protrude to the side in contact with the developer (not shown), but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, it can be expressed that the seal free end portion 65a is provided so as to be exposed on the side in contact with the developer (not shown). As described above, the mode in which the free end portion (seal tip portion) of the seal is "provided to be exposed" includes the mode in which the free end portion (seal tip portion) is "provided to protrude" as described above, and the seal is sealed. The degree of freedom in the shape arrangement state of the free end portion may be increased. In the present invention, "one end side of the developer sealing member is provided so as to be exposed on the side in contact with the developer" indicates the above-mentioned shape arrangement state.

When assembling the toner seal 65 constituting the bearing 60 to the housing 61, the toner seal 65 is first integrally molded with the resin to form a kind of insert member for molding the bearing 60'. Next, a single toner seal 65 premolded in an injection molding mold in which the housing 61 is integrally molded with the resin is set as an insert member, and the resin for forming the housing 61 is injected into the injection molding mold to form the housing. A construction method is adopted in which the seal base end portion 65b of the toner seal 65 is integrally fixed to 61 and assembled. The bearing obtained by integrally molding in this way is the bearing 60'shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the state of the bearing 60'in which the rotating shaft 8a of the supply screw 8 is not inserted, the inner diameter α of the seal portion of the seal opening hole 65c in the toner seal 65 is the inner diameter β of the shaft insertion hole 61b in the housing 61. Is formed smaller than. That is, the inner diameter α of the seal portion of the toner seal 65 and the inner diameter β of the shaft insertion hole 61b in the housing 61 are set so as to satisfy the relationship that the inner diameter α of the seal portion α <the inner diameter β of the shaft insertion hole 61b. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 8a of the supply screw 8 is inserted into the seal opening hole 65c of the toner seal 65, the seal free end portion 65a including the seal opening hole 65c of the toner seal 65 becomes the toner seal 65 as shown in FIG. The seal opening hole 65c is uniformly expanded by the flexibility of the above, and is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 8a. As a result, the developer is prevented from leaking to the outside of the unit, and the developer sealability of the bearing 60 is ensured.

As described above, since the relationship is set so that the inner diameter α of the seal portion <the inner diameter β of the shaft insertion hole 61b is satisfied, the free end portion of the toner seal 65 including the seal opening hole 65c is included as shown in FIG. It is necessary to assemble the rotating shaft 8a so that the 65a does not turn over. An example of the assembly method for that purpose will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method of assembling the rotating shaft 8a to the toner seal portion of the bearing 60'or the bearing (60) so that the seal free end portion 65a including the seal opening hole 65c of the toner seal 65 is not turned over.

As shown in FIG. 10, the length of the rotating shaft 8a, which is roughly like a pencil cap shape, is formed on the tip small diameter portion 8aa of the rotating shaft 8 whose outer diameter is formed to be one step smaller than the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 8a at the tip. An example is given in which a jig 69 having a tapered conical shape long in the direction is abutted and the bearing 60'or the bearing (60) is moved in the direction of the thick arrow to be assembled so that the free end portion 65a of the seal is not turned over. At this time, as the bearing 60'or the bearing (60) moves, the leading portion of the tapered conical shape of the jig 69 whose position is fixed first passes through the seal opening hole 65c of the toner seal 65. Next, from the tip small diameter portion 8aa of the rotating shaft 8 corresponding to the outer diameter shape of the passing portion of the jig 69 to the outer diameter shape portion of the rotating shaft 8a (the shape portion that is in sliding contact with the shaft insertion hole 61b of the housing 61). By gradually expanding the seal opening hole 65c, the outer diameter-shaped portion of the rotating shaft 8a can be guided and inserted into the seal opening hole 65c without turning over. After the outer diameter-shaped portion of the rotating shaft 8a has passed through the seal opening hole 65c, the jig 69 may be removed from the tip small diameter portion 6aa of the rotating shaft 8a.
A method of assembling the rotating shaft 8a on which the jig 69 is mounted by moving the rotating shaft 8a with respect to the bearing 60'or the bearing (60) whose position is fixed may be used.

A liquid made of a substance having a heat capacity larger than that of air is sealed in the space between the inner portion 61a and the outer portion 61c partitioned by the rib portion 62 of the housing 61 so that the liquid does not leak by the lid member 66. It is sealed. In this embodiment, the closed space 63 is 100% filled with water W, which is a liquid having a heat capacity larger than that of air. The liquid (water W) is sealed by the lid member 66 by applying an adhesive between the lid member 66 and the housing 61 (see FIGS. 7 to 9) including the rib portion 62 in contact with the lid member 66, or by applying double-sided tape. This is done by attaching and fixing the lid member 66 by adhering through the lid member 66.

As described above, the supply screw 8 supplies, conveys, and circulates the developer, and 65 parts of the toner seal 65 of the rotating shaft 8a and the bearing 60 (the free end portion 65a of the toner seal 65 that presses against the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 8a). ), It operates in a state where the developer touches it. When the supply screw 8 rotates, the rotating shaft 8a slides while rotating between the inner portion 61a (shaft insertion hole 61b) of the bearing 60 and the seal free end portion 65a of the toner seal 65, so that the drive is driven. Sometimes the sliding friction becomes large, and heat is generated in this part.
In this embodiment, water W, which is a liquid having a heat capacity larger than that of air, is brought into contact with the seal base end portion 65b that does not come into contact with the developer of the toner seal 65. As a result, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the toner seal portion of the bearing 60 over time of the developing device 4.

With reference to FIG. 11, a case where water W is sealed in a closed space 63 provided in the bearing 60 as shown in FIG. 7 and the water W is brought into contact with the seal base end portion 65b, and as shown in FIG. The difference in the effect of suppressing the temperature rise of the toner seal portion from the case where the bearing 60'is used and the seal base end portion 65b is not brought into contact with anything (contact with air) will be described.
In FIG. 11, the elapsed time (s: seconds) after the developing device is operated for a predetermined time is taken on the horizontal axis, and the temperature rise ΔT (deg: ° C.) of the toner sealing portion is taken on the vertical axis, and the toner sealing portion (seal is free). It is a graph which shows the result of having tested about the difference of the temperature rise of the end 65a). In the figure, the temperature rise ΔT represents the temperature raised by the rotation of the rotating shaft 8a, specifically, the temperature of the toner seal portion raised with respect to the ambient temperature. The diagram shown by the solid line shows the case where the bearing 60 having the structure in which water W is sealed in the closed space 63 and the water W is brought into contact with the seal base end portion 65b is used, and the diagram shown by the broken line shows the seal base end portion 65b. It is a graph which shows the change of the temperature rise ΔT of a toner seal part with time in the case of using the bearing 60' of the structure which does not come into contact with anything (contact with air). The test conditions are the same except that the developing apparatus (unit) equipped with bearings 60 and 60'supporting the rotating shaft 8a of the supply screw 8 arranged in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1 is replaced. I went under the conditions. That is, the temperature of the toner seal portion (seal free end portion 65a) was measured with a thermocouple. The developer used had the above characteristics and was carried out in an environment of 23 ° C.

From the test results of FIG. 11, the following was found. That is, it can be seen that when water W is sealed in the closed space 63 of the bearing 60, the time required for the temperature rise is longer than when nothing is brought into contact with the toner seal portion (contact with air). Therefore, according to the bearing 60 of the present embodiment, the temperature rise of the toner seal portion is suppressed by bringing water W into contact with the seal base end portion 65b to cool the toner seal portion (seal free end portion 65a). Can be done.

Here, considering the mechanism of temperature rise of the toner seal portion, it is as follows. The temperature rise ΔT is proportional to the residual heat amount, that is, the temperature rise ΔT ∝ residual heat amount (heat generation amount-heat dissipation amount) Q / heat capacity C, and since the heat generation amount is constant, the heat capacity C is increased by the liquid (for example, water W). At least the rise of ΔT becomes gradual. It is considered that the amount of heat dissipated increases and ΔT decreases due to the dispersion of heat by a liquid (for example, water W) or the like.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, in the bearing having the developer seal member, it is possible to provide a bearing capable of suppressing the temperature rise of the bearing seal portion where the temperature rise becomes large.

(Example 2)
The second embodiment according to the characteristic portion of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the bearing according to the second embodiment.
The bearing 60A shown in FIG. 12 has a seal base end portion 65b of the toner seal 65 at a point where the lid member 66 is removed to eliminate the closed space 63 as compared with the bearing 60 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7 and the like. The main difference is that the metal plate 68 made of a substance having a thermal conductivity higher than that of air is brought into contact with the metal plate 68.

That is, the bearing 60A contacts a housing 61, which is a housing member constituting the bearing 60A, a toner seal 65 as a developer seal member, and a seal base end portion 65b of the toner seal 65 with a substance having a thermal conductivity larger than that of air. It has a metal plate 68 for making the housing.

For the metal plate 68, copper, stainless steel, or the like, which is a substance having a higher thermal conductivity than air, is used. As a configuration in which the metal plate 68 of the above material is brought into contact with the seal base end portion 65b of the toner seal 65, the metal plate 68 having an insertable shape is thermally conducted in the storage space 67 formed between the adjacent rib portions 62. Examples thereof include a configuration in which the adhesive material having a good ratio is attached and fixed via a double-sided tape or the like.

In Example 2, the same test as described with reference to FIG. 11 in Example 1 will be performed. That is, when the bearing 60A shown in FIG. 12 is used to bring the metal plate 68 such as copper or stainless steel into contact with the seal base end portion 65b, and when the bearing 60'as shown in FIG. 8 is used, the seal base end portion is used. It is planned to confirm the difference in the effect of suppressing the temperature rise of the toner seal portion from the case where nothing is brought into contact with 65b (contact with air). The test method and test conditions are the same as in Example 1 above.

As a result of the above test, when the metal plate 68 is brought into contact with the seal base end portion 65b of the bearing 60A, it is not as much as in Example 1 above, but when nothing is brought into contact with the toner seal portion (contact with air). It will be confirmed that the time required for the temperature rise is longer than that. Therefore, according to the bearing 60A of the present embodiment, the temperature rise of the toner seal portion is suppressed by bringing the metal plate 68 into contact with the seal base end portion 65b to cool the toner seal portion (seal free end portion 65a). be able to.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, in the bearing having the developer seal member, it is possible to provide a bearing capable of suppressing the temperature rise of the bearing seal portion where the temperature rise becomes large.

In the first and second embodiments, the bearings 60 and 60A that rotatably support the rotary shaft 8a on behalf of the supply screw 8 have been described, but the rotary shaft 6a of the recovery screw 6 and the rotary shaft 11a of the stirring screw 11 have been described. It goes without saying that the same effect as described above can be obtained even if the bearings 60 and 60A are mounted and applied.

Further, the rotating shaft (96c) of the first stirring and transporting member (96), which is the stirring and transporting member arranged in the sub-hopper of the developer replenishing device 70 shown in FIG. 4, and the second stirring and transporting member (97). Bearings 60 and 60A may be mounted on the rotating shaft (97c).

Further, the shaft portion 731 of the agitator 73, which is a stirring and transporting member arranged in the developer storage container 71 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the shaft portion 721 of the transport screw 72, or the photoconductor cleaning shown in FIG. Bearings 60 and 60A may be mounted on the rotating shafts of the stirring and transporting members appropriately arranged in the device 3 and the belt cleaning device 102.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such a specific embodiment, and unless otherwise specified in the above description, the present invention described in the claims. Various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the above. For example, the technical items described in the above-described embodiments and examples may be appropriately combined.

The bearing according to the present invention can also be applied to a bearing that rotatably supports the rotating shaft of a known stirring and transporting member other than those described in the above embodiments.

The developer may be a new developer or a recovered developer, and is not affected by the usage conditions. That is, the stirring and transporting member may have at least one function of stirring and transporting the developer and at least one of the functions of stirring and transporting the recovered developer.
For example, it is not limited to a developing device that uses a two-component developer containing toner and a carrier, but also a developing device that uses a one-component developer consisting only of toner, a developer storage container, a developer replenisher, and the like. Good.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the tandem type image forming apparatus of the intermediate transfer method shown in FIG. 1, and is a tandem type image forming apparatus of the direct transfer method that directly transfers to a sheet held on a transport belt. It may be an apparatus or an image forming apparatus that forms an image using a single image carrier.

The effects appropriately described in the embodiments of the present invention merely list the most preferable effects arising from the present invention, and the effects according to the present invention are limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention. It's not a thing.

1 Photoreceptor (an example of a latent image carrier)
2 Charging device 3 Photoreceptor cleaning device 4 Developing device 5 Developing roller (developer carrier)
6 Recovery screw (an example of agitated transfer member)
6a Rotating shaft 8 Supply screw (an example of stirring and transporting member)
8a Rotating shaft 11 Stirring screw (Example of stirring and transporting member)
18 Process cartridge 60, 60A Bearing 61 Housing (example of housing member)
61a Inner part 61b Shaft insertion hole 61c Outer part 61d Outer part inner wall surface 61e Positioning part 62 Rib part 63 Sealed space 65 Toner seal (example of developer seal member)
65a Seal free end (example of one end side of developer seal member)
65b Seal base end (an example of the other end side of the developer seal member)
65c Seal opening hole 66 Lid member 67 Storage space 68 Metal plate (example of metal)
69 Jig 70 Developer replenisher 71 Developer storage container 71A Container body (example of developer storage)
72 Transport screw (an example of agitated transport member)
73 Agitator (Example of stirring and transporting member)
W water (an example of liquid)

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-200693

Claims (9)

A bearing that rotatably supports a stirring and transporting member having a function of stirring and transporting a developer and has a developer seal member.
The developer sealing member has flexibility and is
One end side of the developer sealing member is provided so as to be exposed on the side in contact with the developer.
The other end side of the developer sealing member is provided so as to be exposed on the side that does not come into contact with the developer.
A bearing in which a substance having at least one of a heat capacity and a thermal conductivity larger than that of air is brought into contact with the other end side of the developer sealing member. In the bearing according to claim 1,
The other end side of the developer seal member is attached to a housing member that rotatably supports the shaft, and the one end side of the developer seal member has an inner diameter of the housing member through which the shaft is inserted. A bearing characterized in that it is formed smaller than the inner diameter. In the bearing according to claim 1 or 2.
A substance having at least one of the heat capacity and the thermal conductivity larger than that of air is a liquid.
A bearing characterized by having a closed space for enclosing the liquid. In the bearing according to claim 1 or 2.
A substance having at least one of the heat capacity and the thermal conductivity larger than that of air is a metal.
A bearing characterized by having a storage space for storing the metal. A developing apparatus comprising the bearing according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A developer storage unit that stores the developer and a developer storage unit
The bearing according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A stirring and transporting member that stirs and transports the developing agent in the developing agent storage unit by rotation.
A developer storage container characterized by being provided with. A process cartridge comprising the image carrier and the developing apparatus according to claim 5. A developer replenishing device comprising the developer storage container according to claim 6. An image forming apparatus comprising the developing apparatus according to claim 5, the developing agent storage container according to claim 6, the process cartridge according to claim 7, or the developing agent replenishing apparatus according to claim 8.

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