JP2513995Y2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention relates to an improvement in an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a structure capable of rationally joining a developing device and a toner hopper.

[Prior art]

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the developing device 1 and the toner hopper 2 used in the conventional image forming apparatus which is the background of the present invention.

Toner hopper 2 disposed above the developing device 1
The toner supplied from the toner supply port 3 is conveyed to the front side in the drawing by a screw-shaped toner conveying roller (not shown) provided below the toner hopper 2, and the opening of the toner discharge port shutter 5 is opened. The toner is supplied from 6 to the toner supply port 7 of the developing device 1.

Then, this toner is transferred by an unillustrated carrying roller or agitating roller provided inside the developing device 1.
Supplied evenly to the developing roller.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

In such an image forming apparatus, the developing device 1 can be taken out from the inside of the main body by pulling out the developing device 1 in the axial direction of the developing roller (direction of arrow A) at the time of maintenance and inspection work such as jam processing. However, at this time, since the toner hopper 2 is still attached to the image forming apparatus main body, the toner supply port 7 of the developing device 1 and the toner discharge port shutter 5 of the toner hopper 2 slide. It has a structure that

Therefore, in this sliding portion, high positional accuracy is required. If the accuracy is low and there is too much space between the toner supply port 7 and the toner discharge port shutter 5, toner leakage may occur, and conversely, if there is no adequate margin, there is a problem such as damage due to sliding.

Further, since high positional accuracy is required in the sliding portion as described above, it is desirable to make the area of the sliding portion as small as possible, and in the supply path for supplying toner from the toner hopper 2 to the developing device 1. There is no choice but to reduce the size of a certain joint (sliding part). Therefore, the toner in the toner hopper 2 is once conveyed to the toner discharge port shutter 5 side at one end of the toner hopper 2 and supplied to the toner supply port 7 of the developing device 1 and then to the toner supply port 7. The toner thus obtained must be conveyed over the entire width of the developing device, which complicates the toner supply process and causes a high cost.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the developing apparatus 1 and the toner hopper 2 do not form a sliding portion when the developing apparatus 1 is taken out from the image forming apparatus main body. is there.

[Means for solving the problem]

To achieve the above object, the main means adopted by the present invention is to arrange a developing device and a toner hopper arranged above the developing device inside the main body of the image forming apparatus.
In an image forming apparatus in which the developing device is pulled out in the axial direction of the developing roller so as to be taken out from the inside of the main body, the toner hopper is connected to the developing device at a connecting position and above the connecting position from the developing device. A guide mechanism that supports up and down between the separation position and the separation position,
The image forming apparatus is characterized in that it comprises an elevating and lowering drive means for elevating and lowering the toner hopper between the connecting position and the detaching position along the guide mechanism.

[Action]

According to the present invention, when the developing device is taken out of the image forming device, the elevating and lowering drive means is displaced to raise the toner hopper to a separating position above the developing device so that the joint surface is formed. Since it can be separated, without forming a sliding portion with the developing device,
The developing device can be taken out.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a developing device and a toner hopper of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The following embodiments are merely specific examples of the present invention,
It does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

This embodiment is different from the conventional image forming apparatus in that the toner hopper 21 can be raised upward in FIG. 1 when the developing device 20 is detached from the image forming apparatus main body. . Of course, on the contrary,
When the developing device 20 is installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the toner hopper 21 is lowered to its original position.

That is, when removing the developing device 20, first, when a switch (not shown) is turned on, the shaft 8 which is rotated by the drive of a motor or the like is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing. When the shaft 8 is rotated, a cam 9 (eccentric cam), which constitutes an ascending / descending drive means and is pivotally attached to the tip of the shaft 8, is also rotated counterclockwise, and engages with the sliding contact surface 9a (cam surface). Toner hopper 21
The elevating pin 10 forming a part of the above is lifted upward from the lower surface side in the figure.

Since the lifting pin 10 is fixed to the toner hopper 21 via the bracket 11, the toner hopper 21 is fixed to the developing device 20 in the drawing as the cam 9 rotates.
And is held at that position by moving upward from the connecting position (solid line) to the separating position (broken line) above. In this case, as shown in the figure, two lifting guide pins 12a, 12b on one side (four on both sides) are provided on the side surface of the toner hopper 21, and the lifting guide pins 12a, 12b are slidable. Lifting guide guides 13a and 13b having a substantially F-shape for guiding are fixed to the main body side of the image forming apparatus to guide the rising of the toner hopper 21.
Further, when the rise of the toner hopper 21 is guided only by the elevating guide guides 13a and 13b, the elevating guide guides
A situation may occur in which the toner hopper 21 rotates clockwise with the lifting guide pin 12b on the 13b side as a fulcrum and does not smoothly rise upward. Therefore, an elevating guide plate 14 for slidably supporting the upper end wall portion of the toner hopper 21 is provided on the image forming apparatus main body side above the toner hopper 21 on the side opposite to the cam 9, and the cam 9 is provided. The direction of the vertical movement of the toner hopper is regulated. In this case, the lifting guide pins 12a, 12b, the lifting guides 13a, 13b, the lifting guide plate
The toner hopper 21 is provided between the toner hopper 21 and the main body by means of 14 or the like, and supports the toner hopper 21 so as to be able to move up and down between a connection position connected to the developing device 20 and a separation position detached from the developing device 20. A guide mechanism is configured.

On the contrary, after mounting the developing device 20 on the image forming apparatus and turning off the switch (not shown), the toner hopper 21 is lowered to the original position by the reverse rotation of the motor or the like.

In the apparatus of the above-described embodiment, when the developing device 20 is detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus, since the sliding portion with the toner hopper 21 is not formed, the urethane between the developing device 20 and the toner hopper 21 is not formed. It is possible to arrange the seal members 15 and 15 made of foam or the like, respectively, to ensure the adhesion of the above-mentioned joint portion.

With this configuration, the toner supply port 16 on the developing device 20 side and the toner discharge port 17 on the toner hopper 21 side can be formed to be large in the axial direction of the developing roller 18, and inside the toner hopper 21 or A toner feeding roller such as a screw feeder for feeding toner into the developing device 20 can be omitted.

[Effect of device]

According to the present invention, the developing device and the toner hopper disposed above the developing device are disposed inside the main body of the image forming apparatus, and the developing device is pulled out in the axial direction of the developing roller to main body. In an image forming apparatus that can be taken out from the inside, a guide that supports the toner hopper so that it can be raised and lowered between a connecting position connected to the developing device and a detaching position above the connecting position to detach the toner hopper from the developing device. An image forming apparatus is provided, which is characterized in that it is provided with a mechanism and an elevating and lowering drive means for elevating and lowering the toner hopper between the connecting position and the detaching position along the guide mechanism. When the developing device is taken out, the joint portion with the toner hopper can be easily separated by displacing the elevating and lowering driving means, and it is not necessary to slide that portion, which is a high assembly cost. Position does not require accuracy. The developing device with the toner hopper separated in this way is made lighter in weight, and the burden on the operator associated with the attaching / detaching work of the developing device and the accompanying lifting / lowering work of the toner hopper is reduced. It is possible to smoothly carry out a series of work. Along with this, it is possible to increase the toner supply path from the toner hopper to the developing device in the axial direction of the developing roller, which must be reduced in the related art, and to simplify the toner supply process. As a result, cost reduction can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a developing device and a toner hopper of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a developing device and toner used in a conventional image forming apparatus which is the background of the present invention. It is a perspective view of a hopper. [Explanation of reference symbols] 1 ... Developing device, 2 ... Toner hopper, 9 ... Cam (eccentric cam), 9a ... Sliding contact surface (cam surface), 10 ... Lifting pin, 11 ... Bracket, 12a, 12b …… Lift guide pin, 13
a, 13b …… Elevation guide guide, 14 …… Elevation guide plate, 18…
… Developing roller, 20 …… Developing device, 21 …… Toner hopper.

Claims (4)

(57) [Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A developing device and a toner hopper connected above the developing device are disposed inside a main body of the image forming apparatus, and the developing device is pulled out in a direction of an axis of a developing roller, and inside the main body. An image forming apparatus that can be taken out from a guide mechanism that supports the toner hopper so that it can be lifted and lowered between a connecting position connected to the developing device and a separating position for separating the developing device from the developing device above the connecting position. And an elevating and lowering drive unit for elevating and lowering the toner hopper between the connecting position and the detaching position along the guide mechanism. 2. A guide mechanism comprising: an elevating guide pin provided on the toner hopper; an elevating guide guide provided on the main body for slidably supporting the elevating guide pin; and the elevating guide provided on the main body. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises an elevating guide plate slidably supporting an upper end wall portion of the toner hopper on the side opposite to the driving means. 3. The toner hopper according to claim 1, wherein said lifting drive means is constituted by an eccentric cam, and a cam surface of said eccentric cam is brought into contact with a portion on a lower surface side of said toner hopper, and said eccentric cam is rotated. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to lift and hold at the connection position and the detachment position. 4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said eccentric cam is driven to rotate by a motor.