JP2606896B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus having a developing device storage device that stores a plurality of developing devices.

(Prior Art) In order to satisfy a demand for colorization of an image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus using an electrostatic transfer process, a developing device storing device that stores a plurality of developing devices is provided. There has been proposed an apparatus in which a developing device having a developer of a desired color is selected, and the developing device is transported to an image forming position and used for development.

FIG. 5 (longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the copying apparatus) and FIG. 6 (II in FIG. 5) using an example of such an image forming apparatus as a copying apparatus.
A description will be given based on FIG. 7 (view taken along the arrow I-III) and FIG.

In FIG. 5, A is an apparatus main body, and B is a developing device housing device provided outside the apparatus main body A. A plurality of developing devices 100 (three in the illustrated example) are housed in the developing phenomenon device housing device B.
Can move up and down in the direction of the arrow Y-Y shown, and the selected desired developing unit 100A moves in the direction of the arrow XX between the image forming position of the apparatus main body A and the upper part of the developing unit storage device B. It is possible that the developing device 100 can be freely selected for the photosensitive drum 110.

By the way, since the distance between the image forming position of the apparatus main body A and the upper part of the developing device housing device B is relatively long, a pair of first conveying means for conveying the developing device is provided on the apparatus main body A side and the developing device housing device B side, respectively. M ₁ and it is necessary to provide a second conveying unit M _2.

The first conveying unit M ₁ is constituted by a motor 122 for rotationally driving the gear 121 and the gear 121 meshing with the first rack 101 which is engraved on the upper surface of the developing unit 100, the second conveying unit M
Reference numeral ₂ denotes a gear 131 that meshes with the second rack 102 formed on both sides of the developing device 100 and a motor 132 that drives the gear 131 to rotate.

Further, the developing device 100 has a supporting foot 103 provided on the bottom portion guided and supported by guide rails 141 and 142 provided on the mounting body A and the developing device housing device B, respectively. It moves along the guide rails 141 and 142.

Therefore, the developing unit 100 is the apparatus main body from the top of the developing unit housing unit B along the guide rails 141 and 142 as a result of being transmitted with a transport force via the second rack 102 by the gear 131 and the motor 132 of the second conveying unit M ₂ moved to a predetermined position of a, then, the image forming apparatus main body a along the guide rails 141 and 142 as a result of being transmitted with a transport force via the first rack 101 that by the first transfer means M ₁ of the gear 121, the motor 122 Move to the position.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional image forming apparatus,
While the supporting portion of the developing device 100, that is, the supporting foot portion 103 is provided at the lower portion of the developing device 100, the first and second racks 101 and 102 for transporting the developing device are provided at the upper portion and the middle of the developing device 100. As shown in FIG. 7, the first and second transport means
The transport force by M ₁ and M ₂ is defined as F ₁ and F _2, and the supporting foot 1 of the developing device 100 is
03 to the first and second racks 101 and 102 are L ₁ and L ₂
If, the developing unit 100 will be subject to moment of F ₁ · L ₁ or F ₂ · L ₂ during transport.

Therefore, the guide rails 141,
The sliding portion between 142 using a low coefficient of friction material, the developing unit 100 of the conveyance by the conveyance start time and the conveying means M _1, M ₂ according to the first or second transport means M ₁ or M ₂ When the delivery is performed, the developing device 100 is easily inclined up and down, which causes a problem that a transport load increases and a transport state is unstable.

Also, without the first rack 101 on both sides near the developing device 100 as shown in FIG. 6, which is engraved on the upper surface of the developing unit 100, when in the inboard, the first conveying means M ₁ pair There is a problem in that it is difficult to balance and causes skew feeding of the developing device 100.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a purpose thereof is to move a developing device between a developing device storage device outside the device main body and an image forming position of the device main body via a rack or a gear. In this case, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can stabilize the transport state of the developing device, obtain a smooth transport state, and prevent skew feeding of the developing device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a developing device accommodating device for accommodating a plurality of developing devices outside an apparatus main body, and removes a desired developing device from the phenomenon device accommodating device. In the image forming apparatus having first and second conveying means for reciprocating to an image forming position in the apparatus main body through a rack provided in the developing device in the apparatus main body and the developing device housing device, the first conveying means The first rack engaging with the second transport means is engraved on the upper surface or the lower surface of the developing device.
Engraved on both sides of the side where the rack is engraved, the positions where the first and second conveying means act on the developing device at substantially the same height, and the developing device is engraved on the second rack It is characterized in that it is supported in the device main body and the phenomenon container storage device via members.

(Operation) According to the present invention, the positions where the first and second conveying means act on the developing device at substantially the same height are applied to the developing device, and the developing device is connected to the apparatus main body via the second rack engraving member. Further, since the developing device is supported in the phenomenon device storage device, almost no moment is generated when the developing device is transported, and the developing device is in the second position.
The developer is smoothly transported without being inclined while being guided by the rack engraving member, and skew feeding of the developing device is reliably prevented.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the copying apparatus, FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line II of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 2, and FIG. It is a perspective view.

As shown in FIG. 1, the copying apparatus has a main assembly A and a developing unit 2 for a plurality of color toners (excluding black toner) which is disposed close to the main assembly A and satisfies the demand for colorization. Is stored.

Further, a photosensitive drum 1 is provided in the apparatus main body A,
The photosensitive drum 1 is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the original image is sequentially formed on the surface. And
Around the photosensitive drum 1, a color developing device 2A containing a color toner (for example, green toner) and a black developing device 3 containing a black toner are arranged. Each of them is movable in the front and rear directions of the arrows a and b shown in the drawing, and these move toward the photosensitive drum 1 and visualize the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 according to a desired color image. .
In FIG. 1, a black image is formed on the photosensitive drum 1 because the color developing device 2A is separated and the black developing device 3 is close.

Further, a plurality of (three in the illustrated example) developing device storage boxes 4 which are vertically driven by a driving means (not shown) are provided in the developing device storage device B. The green developing device 2A containing the toner, the red developing device 2B containing the red toner, and the blue developing device 2c containing the blue toner are stored respectively.

In FIG. 1, the green developing device 2A is not provided in the developing device housing box 4 provided at the standby position opening above the developing device housing device B, but is formed on the photosensitive drum 1 as described above. The green developing unit 2A is ready for visualization of the electrostatic latent image. The transfer unit moves the green developing unit 2A to the image forming position A near the photosensitive drum 1 in the apparatus main body A in the direction shown by the arrow a in FIG. Container storage device B
The developer is transferred to and from a developing device storage box 4 disposed at a standby position (b).

Here, a description will be given of the transfer means. First surface is provided on the surface of the apparatus main body A on which the developing device housing device B is provided.
As shown in the figure, a developing device carry-in port 5 is open, and the photosensitive drum 1
Is formed horizontally. A guide rail 7 extending to the photosensitive drum 1 is provided in the apparatus main body A above the feeding path 6 in parallel to both left and right ends of the photosensitive drum 1 as shown in FIG. The guide rail 7 is formed in a channel (U) shape that opens into the apparatus, and the end on the side of the developing device housing device B is slightly opened up and down.

Also, a guide rail 8 similar to the guide rail 7 is provided on the upper part of the developing device storage box 4 of the developing device storage device B.
When the developing device housing box 4 is assembled at the standby position B, the guide rail 8 is positioned linearly with the guide rail 7 on the apparatus main assembly A side. Each of the guide rails 8 also has a channel shape that opens to the inside of the apparatus, and the end on the apparatus main body A side is slightly opened up and down.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the developing device 2 has a pair of left and right first and second racks for transporting the developing device at both left and right ends.
9,10 are formed. The first rack 9 is engraved in the vicinity of both left and right end portions of the upper surface of the developing device 2 in the front-rear direction and parallel to each other. The second rack 10 protrudes left and right outward along the first rack 9. It is engraved on the outer side of the provided support portion 11. Then, the developing device 2 has left and right support portions.
As shown in FIG. 3, the guide 11 is guided and supported by guide rails 7, 8 provided in the apparatus main body A and the developing device storage box 4, respectively, and an image of the apparatus main body A is provided along the guide rails 7, 8. It is movable between the forming position A and the standby position B of the developing device storage device B.

By the way, the developing device 2 is transported from the standby position B in the developing device housing device B to a predetermined position on the photosensitive drum 1 side of the apparatus main assembly A in the developing device housing device B.
The left and right pair of second conveying means M ₂ for conveying from the predetermined position to the standby position B is provided. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the second transport means M ₂ includes a DC motor 16 fixed to the developing device housing device B, and a lever that rotates about an output shaft 16 a of the DC motor 16. 17, a gear 18 connected to an end of an output shaft 16a, and a horizontally rotatable support at an end of the lever 17 to be always meshed with the gear 18 and engraved on a side surface of the developing device 2. Gear 20 selectively meshing with the second rack 10, and a solenoid connected to the other end of the lever 17.
It is configured to include a spring 22 that constantly biases the lever 21 and the lever 17 toward the retracted side of the gear 20.

Further, in the apparatus main body A, carry the developing device 2 which is conveyed to a predetermined position of the second conveying unit M ₂ by the apparatus main body A side to the image forming position A of the apparatus main body A, also the image formed on the reverse developing unit 2 the device first conveying means M ₁ of the pair of left and right for this is conveyed to a predetermined position to pass the developing unit 2 the the second transport means M ₂ of body a side is provided at the position b . Each first conveying means M _1, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
A DC motor 13 fixed to the apparatus body A and a gear 12 attached to an output shaft of the DC motor 1 are provided.
Are engaged with the first rack 9 on the upper surface of the developing device 2 to move the developing device 2 back and forth.

And Thus, the at the time of non-operation of the second conveying unit M ₂ of the solenoid 21, the lever 17 stands by the solid line position of Figure 2 by a spring 22, a gear 20 which is supported on the lever 17 is also The developing unit housing box 4 can be moved up and down by retracting to the solid line position. Therefore, in this state, the developing storage box 4 is moved up and down by a driving unit (not shown), and the desired developing device 2 (for example, green developing device
2A) can be selected.

Then, when the desired green phenomenon device 2A reaches the position facing the developing device carry-in port 5 of the apparatus main body A, that is, the standby position b, the vertical movement of the storage box 4 for developing is stopped.
To rotate the lever 17 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 around the output shaft 16a of the DC motor 16, and gears 20 are engraved on both side surfaces of the green developing device 2A as shown by a chain line in FIG. The second rack 10 is engaged.

Next, when the DC motor 16 is driven to rotate the gear 18 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2, the gear 20 meshing with the gear 18 rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG.
The green developing device 2A having 10 advances in the direction of the photosensitive drum 1 along the guide rails 7,8.

Wherein the green developing device 2A proceeds to some extent into the apparatus main assembly A side, the gear 12 of the first conveying unit M ₁ of the apparatus main assembly A side starts to mesh with the first rack 9 of the green developing device 2A. When the green developing device 2A advances to a predetermined position toward the photosensitive drum 1, the green developing device 2A
2A and the second rack 10 meshing of the second conveying means M ₂ of the gear 20 is released, the 1 DC motor 13 of the conveying means M ₁ is driven. The rotation of the DC motor 13 rotates the gear 12 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and the green developing unit 2A is transported along the guide rail 7 to the image forming position A near the photosensitive drum 1.

Then, when the green developing device 2A is carried to the position A, a sensor (not shown) detects the position, and the driving of the DC motor 13 for rotating the gear 12 is stopped. Thereafter, the green developing device 2A is pressed against the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by a pressing means (not shown) to visualize the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 rotating in the direction of the arrow in FIG. . In this case, it is assumed that the developing device 3 moves to the right in FIG. 1 and is in a standby state separated from the photosensitive drum 1.

Subsequently, the green developing device 2A subjected to the development is transferred to the developing device storage device B side in the reverse order to the above, and stored in the developing device storage box 4 at the standby position B. lever 17 when releasing the drive of the second transport means M ₂ of the solenoid 21 when developed with a developing device gear 20 is retracted and returns to the solid line position of Figure 2 by the spring 22, the developing device storage box 4 can be driven up and down, and a desired developing device can be selected.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the first rack 9 and the second rack 10 for transporting the developing device are provided on the upper surface of the developing device 2 and on the side surface of the support portion 11 projecting upward on both side surfaces of the developing device 2. In addition, since the support portion 11 guides and engages with the guide rails 7 and 8 provided on the apparatus main assembly A and the developing device housing device B, respectively, to support the developing device 2, the first and second conveyances are performed. The point of action of the conveying force applied to the developing device ₂ from the means M ₁ , M ₂ and the supporting point of the developing device 2 are close to each other, and when the conveyance by the first and second conveying means M ₁ , M ₂ is started, especially the conveying means A large moment does not act on the developing device 2 even when receiving the conveyance by M ₁ and M ₂ .

Therefore, the developing device 2 is always transported in a stable state without the inconvenience that the load of the transporting units M ₁ and M ₂ suddenly increases due to the inclination of the developing device 2 during transport. Also, since the first ACK 9 engraved on the upper surface of the developing device 2 is disposed near the left and right outer surfaces of the developing device 2, it is easy to balance the pair of first conveying means M ₁ , and the developing device 2 Does not occur.

Although the first and second racks 9 and 10 are provided on the upper surface side of the developing device 2 in the present embodiment, the first rack 9 is engraved on the lower surface of the developing device 2 and the second rack 10 is mounted on the developing device 2. The same effect can be obtained even if the developing unit 2 is engraved on the side of the supporting member 11 protruding from the lower part of the side surface and the developing device 2 is supported by the supporting member 11 below.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied particularly to a copying apparatus has been described. However, the present invention is also applicable to an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer and a printing apparatus and an image forming apparatus having an auto-loading mechanism. Of course there is.

(Effects of the Invention) As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the positions where the first and second conveying means act on the developing device at substantially the same height, and the developing device is Since the developing device is supported in the apparatus main body and the phenomenon device storage device via the second rack engraving member, almost no moment is generated when the developing device is transported, and the developing device is moved by the second rack engraving member. The developer is smoothly conveyed without being inclined while being guided, and the effect that the skew feeding of the developing device is reliably prevented is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the copying apparatus, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of the arrows II-II in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the developing device, FIG. FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a view showing a state of action of a conveying force to the developing device of the prior art. 2,2A, 2B, 2C ... Developer, 9 ... First rack, 10 ... Second
Rack, 11: developing device support portion (second rack engraving member),
A: apparatus main body, B: developing device storage device, M _1: first conveying means, M _2: second conveying means, a: image forming position.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A developing device accommodating device for accommodating a plurality of developing devices provided outside the main body of the apparatus, and a desired developing device from the developing device accommodating device is transferred to a developing device via a rack provided in the developing device. In an image forming apparatus having first and second conveying means for reciprocating to a forming position in an apparatus main body and in a developing device storage device, a first rack engaging with the first conveying means is provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the developing device. A second rack engaged with the second conveying means is engraved on both sides of the developing device on the side where the first rack is engraved, and the developing force of the first and second conveying means is developed. The working position on the developing device is substantially the same height, and the developing device is moved to the second position.
An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus is supported in a device main body and a phenomenon device storage device via a rack engraving member. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first rack is formed near the outer surface of the upper surface or the lower surface of the developing device.