JP2884172B2 - Developing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a developing method for an image forming apparatus configured to uniformly hold powder toner on a sleeve roller and develop a latent image on an image carrier. Related to the device.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, a developing device using a conventional sleeve roller is
For example, as shown in FIG.
Are rotatably supported by a bearing member 102, and the bearing member 1
02 is supported by a bearing member support hole 104 provided in the developing device housing 103, and the shaft portions 101a and 101b at both ends of the sleeve roller 101 receive a driving force of a driving unit (not shown) provided outside the housing 103. , From the bearing member 102 supported by the support hole 104.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the developing device configured as described above, the sleeve roller 101 is assembled to the housing 103 as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), first, the sleeve rollers 101 are alternately passed from inside the housing 103 through the shaft portions 101a, 101b at both ends thereof into the bearing member support holes 104 formed in the housing 103, and then. Similarly, the bearing members 102 are alternately inserted into both ends of the sleeve roller 101 from the outside of the housing 103 and are fixed to the bearing member support holes 104 of the housing 103.

In order to assemble the sleeve roller 101 into the housing 103 as described above, it is necessary to move each member in a non-linear manner from various directions. However, in today's mass production era, such an assembly method involving movement of members in various directions not only increases the assembly cost, but also deteriorates the maintainability and reduces the value of the product. There is a problem that it is.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems in a conventional developing device using a sleeve roller. The purpose is to provide.

[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a sleeve roller having bearing members at both ends thereof, and a sleeve roller which removably supports the sleeve roller and the bearing member in a direction perpendicular to the sleeve roller shaft. In a developing device of an image forming apparatus, comprising a housing having a notch as a shaft support, the housing is formed of an elastic material, and the housing further includes the notch formed by the notch. In order to prevent the bearing member from moving in the right-angle direction after being mounted on the portion, a first convex portion is formed on the opening side of the notch so as to protrude inward of the notch. It is characterized by the following.

With this configuration, the sleeve roller can be easily mounted on the housing only by moving in the direction perpendicular to the sleeve roller axis, and after being mounted, the movement in the direction perpendicular to the sleeve roller axis is regulated and held. You. Further, in order to prevent the bearing member from moving in the axial direction of the sleeve roller after the bearing member is mounted in the notch portion, the notch portion is formed so as to protrude inward of the notch portion. By providing the second convex portion, the movement of the sleeve roller in the axial direction can be further restricted and held. Therefore, it is possible to improve the assembling property and the maintenance property, and to realize a developing device in which the sleeve roller after the mounting is securely positioned.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a developing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view thereof. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a sleeve roller, and both end shaft portions 1a and 1b are rotatably supported by bearing members 3 supported on both side walls 2a and 2b of the developing device housing 2.

The developing device housing 2 is formed of an elastic material such as a synthetic resin, and has side walls 2a and 2b that support the bearing member 3,
As shown in FIG. 2, a notch 4 having a substantially U-shaped opening having a size to which the bearing member 3 can be fitted is formed, and a housing side wall below the notch 4 is provided with an arm 5.
Is formed. A projection 6 projecting toward the notch 4 is provided at the tip of the arm 5, and when the bearing member 3 is mounted in the notch 4, the projection 6 is elastically attached to the arm 5. After the bearing member 3 is retracted due to deformation, the convex portion 6 functions as a stopper for preventing the bearing member 3 from coming out of the notch 4.

Further, a convex portion 7 is provided on the outermost portion of the housing side wall above the notch portion 4 toward the notch portion 4.
Is prevented from coming off in the axial direction after being mounted in the notch 4. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 8 denotes a doctor blade for supplying a toner layer supplied from the inside of the housing 2 and holding the toner layer held on the peripheral surface of the rotating sleeve roller 1 to a uniform thickness.

In the developing device configured as described above, when the sleeve roller 1 is mounted on the housing 2, first, the bearing members 3 are mounted on both end shaft portions 1a and 1b of the sleeve roller 1, and then, as shown in FIG. By pressing and inserting the bearing member 3 into the notch 4 of the housing 2 from the opening thereof in the direction of the arrow, its axial direction is positioned by the protrusion 7, and its escape is regulated by the protrusion 6, and the inside of the notch 4 is restricted. And the mounting is completed.

In this manner, the sleeve roller 1 can be mounted and assembled on the housing by one-touch operation from one direction, and assemblability is improved.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a second embodiment of the present invention in partial cross section, FIG. 4 is a side view thereof, and FIGS.
Members that are the same as or equivalent to those of the first embodiment shown in the figures are given the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, a roller 12 serving as a spacer member for maintaining a constant distance between the image carrier 11 and the sleeve roller 1 is provided at both end shaft portions 1a and 1b of the sleeve roller 1.
Bearing member 13 and the roller portion 1c of the sleeve roller 1
Are supported concentrically with the sleeve roller 1 between the shaft portions 1a and 1b. Then, in order to press the roller 12 against the image carrier 11, the developing device is operated by a spring 14.
It is configured to be biased to the side.

The bearing member 13 in this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the wear roller is made of a synthetic resin material having good wear resistance and a small friction coefficient, and is formed in a substantially U-shape, and the inner diameter is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of both end shaft portions 1a and 1b of the sleeve roller 1. The width of the opening 13a is made smaller than the outer diameter of the shaft portions 1a and 1b at both ends of the sleeve roller 1. Therefore, the bearing member 13 thus formed
To fit the shaft portions 1a and 1b of the sleeve roller 1,
Once the opening 13a is pushed out to the shafts 1a and 1b, the shaft 1
a, 1b, and after the fitting, the opening 13a functions as a stopper as shown in FIG. 5 (B).
The cutouts 4 formed in the housing side walls 2a and 2b supporting the bearing member 13 are configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment, but the cutout openings are directed toward the center of the image carrier 11. Is formed.

In the developing device having the above-described configuration, the sleeve roller unit in which the rollers 12 and the bearing members 13 are mounted on the shaft portions 1a and 1b of the sleeve roller 1 as shown in FIG. By pressing and inserting the bearing member 13 from the opening of the notch 4 of the housing 2, the mounting can be performed with one touch by a linear moving operation from one direction. Further, in this embodiment, since the reaction force F against the roller 12 contacting the image carrier 11 acts to press the sleeve roller 1 and the bearing member 13 against the bottom of the notch 4 of the housing 2, the sleeve roller 1 rattles. Supported without. Note that the reaction force against the roller 12 does not necessarily need to be received at the bottom of the notch 4, and similar effects can be obtained if the reaction force is received at a portion other than the opening of the notch 4.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above based on the embodiment, according to the present invention, the sleeve roller can be mounted and assembled on the housing with one touch by a linear moving operation in one direction, and the sleeve roller after mounted on the housing can be removed. It is possible to obtain a developing device that can be reliably positioned, is excellent in assemblability and maintainability, and has reduced assembly and maintenance costs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of the developing device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view thereof, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the second embodiment in partial cross section, and FIG. 5A is an enlarged perspective view of the bearing member of the second embodiment, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing a state in which the bearing member is attached to the shaft of the sleeve roller. FIG. 6 (A) is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a conventional developing device, and FIG. 6 (B) is an explanatory diagram showing an assembling mode of the sleeve roller. In the figure, 1 is a sleeve roller, 1a and 1b are shaft portions at both ends,
2 is a housing, 2a and 2b are side walls, 3 is a bearing member, 4 is a notch, 5 is an arm, 6, 7 is a convex, 11 is an image carrier, 12 is a roller, and 13 is a bearing member.

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G03G 15/08-15/095

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A sleeve roller having bearing members at both ends thereof; and a notch as a sleeve roller shaft supporting portion for removably supporting the sleeve roller and the bearing member in a direction perpendicular to the sleeve roller shaft. The housing is formed of an elastic material, and the housing further includes the bearing member mounted in the cutout portion. A developing device provided with a first projection formed on the opening side of the notch so as to protrude inward of the notch in order to prevent the member from moving in the perpendicular direction. . 2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the housing member is mounted on the notch so as to prevent the bearing member from moving in the axial direction of the sleeve roller after the bearing member is mounted in the notch. The developing device according to claim 1, further comprising a second convex portion formed to protrude.