JP2556068Y2 - Liquid tank detection mechanism of electrostatic recording device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an electrostatic head and a developing head, and forms a so-called electrostatic latent image by selectively charging an electrostatic charge on an electrostatic recording paper transported by the electrostatic head. The present invention relates to an electrostatic recording apparatus that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a recording sheet by a developing head using liquid toner to obtain a desired image. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanism for detecting a liquid tank of an electrostatic recording apparatus having a liquid tank for storing a liquid such as a developer or water in the apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional mechanism for detecting a liquid tank of this type of apparatus, there has been a system using a so-called float sensor. This type of apparatus has a configuration in which a float sensor is inserted into a liquid tank to be detected, and an output is generated when the liquid reaches a predetermined amount.

[0003]

Therefore, in such a conventional apparatus, when attaching and detaching the liquid tank,
There is a troublesome disadvantage that the float sensor needs to be attached and detached. Furthermore, since this float sensor is generally expensive, it has also been a factor that increases the price of equipment. The present invention aims to improve this point and provides an inexpensive and reliable detection mechanism.

[0004]

For this reason, in the present invention, the liquid tank 1 and the liquid tank 1 are mounted and one end is rotatably attached to the housing of the apparatus via a fulcrum 21 in the present invention. The support frame 2 includes a support base 3 for supporting the support frame 2 with a predetermined elastic force. A spring is applied to a lower surface of the support frame 2 on which the liquid tank is mounted. A displaceable tank presence / absence detecting member 22 is projected, and the other end of the support frame 2 is supported by the elastic force of the support 3 in accordance with the weight of the liquid tank 1 placed on the support frame 2. 2, a sensor 23 for detecting a predetermined amount of displacement of the tank presence / absence detecting member 22 and a sensor for detecting a predetermined amount of displacement of the tank inside amount detecting member 24. Sensor 25 Respectively provided at a predetermined position of the apparatus,
Liquid tank 1 holding predetermined amount of liquid in support frame 2
Is mounted, the bottom surface of the liquid tank 1 pushes down the projecting tank presence / absence detecting member 22, and the sensor 23 detects a predetermined amount of displacement of the tank presence / absence detecting member 22 to detect the presence of the liquid tank 1. Recognizing, when the liquid in the liquid tank 1 supported by the support frame 2 decreases according to use, the support frame 2 rotates by the elastic force of the support base 3,
The sensor 25 detects a predetermined amount of displacement of the in-tank amount detecting member 24 representing the amount of rotational displacement, and recognizes whether or not the liquid in the liquid tank 1 has become equal to or less than a specified amount.

[0005]

Since the detection mechanism is attached to the supporting member for supporting the liquid tank, it is sufficient to simply support the liquid tank on the supporting member, and there is no trouble in mounting. Further, the detection mechanism is configured such that the support member is displaced in accordance with the weight of the liquid tank, that is, the amount of the liquid to be detected,
Since the displacement is detected, the main part can be mechanically configured, and the configuration can be made cheaply and reliably.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a structural view showing an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a liquid tank support of an electrostatic recording apparatus. When the liquid tank 1 is for storing a developing solution in the apparatus, for example, the liquid tank 1 is attached to the apparatus so as to circulate the developing solution in the tank to the developing section of the apparatus by two pipes 12 attached to the cap 11. I have.

The support frame 2 is formed in an inverted L-shape, and is rotatably attached to a housing (not shown) of the apparatus using a lower end as a fulcrum 21. Further, a cutout is partially formed on the lower surface (tank mounting surface) of the support frame 2 so that the tank presence / absence detecting member 22 can protrude above the tank mounting surface. The tank presence / absence detecting member 22 is attached to a predetermined position of the support frame 2 by a hinge so as to be rotatable around a fulcrum 221 and is urged by a spring (not shown). Therefore, the tank presence / absence detecting member 22 is protruded from the tank protruding surface when the liquid tank 1 is not present on the tank mounting surface of the support frame 2, and is depressed when the liquid tank 1 is mounted. It can be displaced between positions.

The other end of the tank presence / absence detecting member 22 is mounted so as to be positioned at a position corresponding to the tank presence / absence detection sensor 23 mounted at a predetermined position on the same support frame 21. When the liquid tank 22 is depressed and displaced by the attachment of the liquid tank 1, the tank presence / absence detection sensor 23 is activated. By the operation of the sensor 23, the apparatus recognizes that the liquid tank 1 has been mounted.

The support frame 2 is supported by a support 3 urged upward by a spring. Therefore, when the liquid tank 1 holding a sufficient amount of liquid is placed on the support frame 2, the support base 3 is lowered according to its weight. The support frame 2 is supported by a fulcrum 21 on a housing (not shown) of the apparatus.
Since it is attached so that it can rotate around the rotation center,
It turns around the fulcrum 21 to the lower right of the drawing. Therefore, the in-tank amount detecting member 24 erected on the other end side of the support frame 2 is also displaced to the lower right. Two in-tank amount detection sensors 25 are provided corresponding to the tip portions of the in-tank amount detection members 24, and the lower in-tank amount detection sensors 2
When the in-tank amount detection member 24 of the support frame 2 is acting on the detection end of No. 5, the apparatus recognizes that the liquid in the liquid tank 1 is sufficiently present.

When the liquid in the tank 1 is consumed according to the use, the weight of the liquid tank 1 is reduced, so that the support 3 is gradually raised. Therefore, the in-tank amount detecting member 24 of the support frame 2 moves up together with the support frame 2 to activate the upper tank amount detection sensor 25. In this embodiment, when the amount of liquid in the liquid tank 1 becomes equal to or less than a specified amount,
As described above, the support base 3 is set so that the tank amount detecting member 24 of the support frame 2 causes the upper tank amount detecting sensor 25 to act.
Is set in advance. Therefore, in this state, the apparatus recognizes that the liquid in the liquid tank 1 has become equal to or less than the specified amount. Then, a display or the like prompting the user of the apparatus to “replenish the liquid” is made.

[0011]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the main components are performed by mechanical means, an inexpensive and reliable liquid tank detection mechanism can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view of a configuration of a detection mechanism of a liquid tank according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: liquid tank 2: support frame 3: support base

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A liquid tank for holding the liquid in an electrostatic recording apparatus of a type using a liquid such as a developer or water, wherein the liquid tank is provided and the amount of the liquid in the liquid tank is limited. In a liquid tank detection mechanism of an electrostatic recording device for detecting whether a predetermined amount is present, a liquid tank 1 and the liquid tank 1 are mounted and one end is rotatably attached to a housing of the device via a fulcrum 21. And a support table 3 for supporting the support frame 2 with a predetermined elastic force. A spring is applied to a lower surface of the support frame 2 on which the liquid tank is placed. And a movable tank presence / absence detecting member 22 is protruded, and the other end of the support frame 2 is provided with the elastic force of the support base 3 according to the weight of the liquid tank 1 placed on the support frame 2. Displacement of support frame 2 And a sensor 23 that detects a predetermined amount of displacement of the tank presence / absence detecting member 22 and a sensor 25 that detects a predetermined amount of displacement of the tank inside amount detecting member 24, respectively. A liquid tank 1 provided at a predetermined position of the apparatus and holding a predetermined amount of liquid in the support frame 2
Is mounted, the bottom surface of the liquid tank 1 pushes down the projecting tank presence / absence detecting member 22, and the sensor 23 detects a predetermined amount of displacement of the tank presence / absence detecting member 22 to detect the presence of the liquid tank 1. Recognizing, when the liquid in the liquid tank 1 supported by the support frame 2 decreases according to use, the support frame 2 is rotated by the elastic force of the support base 3, and the sensor 25 detects the rotation displacement amount. A liquid tank detection mechanism of the electrostatic recording apparatus, which detects a predetermined amount of displacement of the in-tank amount detection member 24 and recognizes whether the liquid in the liquid tank 1 has fallen below a predetermined amount.