JP2991239B2 - Method for detecting remaining amount of toner in two-component developing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a toner remaining amount detecting method in a developing device using a two-component developer incorporated in an image forming machine such as a printer and a copying machine. Specifically, development is performed while toner is sequentially supplied from the toner container side to the developing device main body side.
The present invention relates to a method for detecting a remaining amount of toner in a component developing device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a developing device using a two-component developer composed of, for example, a carrier and a toner is known. In this type of developing device, toner is supplied to a developing container containing the developer at a predetermined mixing ratio. A toner container is connected via a mechanism, and a toner concentration sensor is disposed in the developing container. A mixing ratio of the toner and the carrier generated each time the toner is consumed from the developing container by a predetermined electrophotographic developing operation. Is detected by a toner density sensor, and toner is sequentially supplied from a toner container into a developing container while driving and controlling the toner supply mechanism based on the detection signal.

Such a device displays a warning when the toner in the container falls below the empty detection level due to toner replenishment from the toner container, and furthermore, when the development is performed without further replenishing the toner, the developing container The image forming operation including the developing operation is forcibly stopped in order to prevent the image density from being deteriorated due to the insufficient density.

It is preferable to determine the empty detection level and the forced stop time based on a detection signal from a toner remaining amount sensor or a density sensor. However, the correlation between the piezoelectric element and the toner concentration constituting the remaining amount sensor and the magnetic permeability or inductance is preferable. In the toner concentration sensor grasped in the above, the smaller the amount of the toner in the container, the lower the detection accuracy becomes, and the malfunction tends to occur due to the bias of the toner.

Therefore, in the conventional device, a predetermined level higher than the empty detection level is set on the toner container side, and when the remaining amount of toner on the toner container side becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined level, the subsequent operation is performed from the toner container side to the developing container side. The number of developed toners correlated with the number of toner replenishments or the amount of toner consumption is counted, a warning is displayed when the count value exceeds a predetermined count, and the forced stop is performed, and toner replenishment is performed during the counting. In this case, the count is cleared.

"Technical problem to be solved by the invention" However, in the above-described technology, it is assumed that there is a correlation between the number of toner replenishment or the number of developed toner and the toner consumption amount. Consumes a large amount of toner in the replenishment operation, and although the count number still remains, it becomes empty and development becomes impossible,
Alternatively, the density is reduced, resulting in poor development.

In view of this, the present invention easily recognizes even when solid black printing is performed, and detects the remaining amount of toner in the developing device which enables more accurate detection of the remaining amount of toner in the toner container connected to the developing device. The idea is to provide a way.

"Technical Means for Solving the Problems" The present invention is intended to achieve the above-mentioned technical problem by performing the following operation when the remaining amount of toner in the toner container connected to the developing device main body becomes lower than a predetermined level. The number of toner replenishments or the number of developed sheets is counted, and a value obtained by subtracting the count value from a preset value of the number of toner replenishments or the number of developments from the predetermined level until the developing device is forcibly stopped is a predetermined set value (hereinafter referred to as a first set value). In the method of detecting the remaining amount of toner in the two-component developing device, a warning of toner shortage and other user recognition actions are taken when the value exceeds the first set value. If the toner supply operation is performed to supply the developing device main body from the toner container within a predetermined time, the subtracted value is set to the first value in the first period. When the toner value exceeds a predetermined value, a toner shortage warning display and other user recognition actions are performed. When the toner supply operation is performed for a predetermined time and the subtracted value exceeds the second set value, A method for detecting a remaining amount of toner in a two-component developing device, characterized in that the subtracted value is forcibly made lower than a first set value, and a warning of toner shortage and other user recognition actions are performed.

The second set value is not particularly limited as long as it is within the above range. More preferably, when the toner is refilled into the toner container by a toner cartridge (not shown) at the time of the second set value, It is preferable to set the empty state so that the toner is not full and does not spill.

"Operation" If there is a certain amount of toner in the toner container, there is no particular problem if the continuous replenishment mode such as solid black printing is entered. Despite being below the shortage warning display point, the number of toner consumption times may not yet reach the shortage warning display point, and poor toner density may cause development failure. still,
The toner consumption count indicates the number of toner replenishments or the count of the number of developed sheets.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the count value N1 (hereinafter referred to as the count value) corresponding to the count number from the predetermined level until the remaining amount of the toner in the toner container connected to the developing device main body is forcibly stopped at the normal consumption level. An initial setting value is set, and after the value falls below the predetermined level, counting of the count value N is started, and the difference between the initial setting value N1 and the count value N (N1−
N) is calculated by subtracting a count value N3 (hereinafter referred to as a first set value) corresponding to the count number from the level at which the shortage warning is displayed to the forcible stop of the developing device. Between the count value N3 and the initial set value N1, forcing the developing device from a level in an empty state such that the toner in the toner container is full and does not spill when toner is replenished by the toner cartridge. Count value N2 corresponding to the count number until the stop (hereinafter the second
The count value N is the number of times the toner has been supplied or
When the toner supply operation is performed for each of the number of developed sheets, that is, for each toner consumption, and the toner supply operation from the toner container to the developing device main body is performed within a predetermined time, the subtracted value (N1-N) is set to N1. When the difference is between N1 and N2, a normal remaining amount detection operation is performed, and when the subtracted value (N1-N) exceeds the first set value N3, a toner shortage warning display is performed. If the toner replenishment operation is performed, the subtracted value (N1-N) is used as the second set value N2.
After that, the subtracted value (N1-N) is forcibly reduced below the first set value, and a shortage warning display is performed.

Therefore, when the continuous print mode is entered near the warning display, the subtracted value (N1-N) is forcibly reduced below the first set value, and a shortage warning display is performed. Even when solid black printing or other continuous toner supply operation is performed when the state approaches, a toner shortage warning display can be performed with high accuracy, thereby enabling more accurate remaining amount detection.

In this case, the second set value N2 is not a problem because the toner container is not filled with toner even if toner is supplied by the toner cartridge at that time.

"Example" Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be illustratively described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are merely illustrative examples. Not just.

FIG. 2 shows a main configuration around the developing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a developing container in which a carrier and a toner are stored at a predetermined concentration ratio. A sleeve 4 containing a mag roll is rotatably supported, and a toner container 2 is mounted above the developing container 1 via a partition plate 5.

A slit opening 6a is provided on the bottom side of the tapered guide recess 6 formed at an arbitrary position of the partition plate 5, and a sponge-covered toner supply roller 7 is rotatably attached to the opening 6a. A DC motor 9 whose rotation can be controlled based on a signal from the CPU 12 is connected to the roller 7.

On the other hand, the developing container 1 is provided with a rotatable stirring member 8 substantially at the center thereof to stir and mix the toner supplied from the supply roller 7.

Further, the developing container 1 is provided with a toner concentration sensor 10 for detecting the mixing ratio of the carrier and the toner as a change in magnetic permeability, and the toner container 2 is provided with a toner remaining amount sensor 11 for detecting the remaining amount of the toner as a piezoelectric change. The signal is transmitted to the CPU 12 on the machine control side.

The machine control CPU 12 detects the remaining amount of toner and the toner density based on the two detection signals, and transmits a control signal to the CPU 13 of the image processing apparatus as appropriate.

The CPU 13 of the image processing apparatus is provided with a display panel 14 for displaying an insufficient toner warning, a non-volatile memory 15 for storing the number of developed sheets after the toner lower limit level is reached, a control panel 16 and the like.

Also, the CPU 13 has a count value N1 (hereinafter referred to as an initial set value) corresponding to a count number from the predetermined level until the remaining amount of the toner in the toner container connected to the developing device main body is forcibly stopped at a normal consumption level. ) Is set, the count value N is counted down, the count value N is started, and the difference (N1-N) between the initial set value N1 and the count value N is obtained by subtraction. (N1-N) sets a count value N3 (hereinafter referred to as a first set value) corresponding to a count number from a level at which a shortage warning display is performed to a time when the developing device is forcibly stopped, and the count value N3 and the initial setting. Between the value N1 and the level corresponding to the number of counts from the level in an empty state where the toner in the toner container is not full when toner is replenished by the toner cartridge until the developing device is forcibly stopped. A count value N2 (hereinafter referred to as a second set value) is set.

The count value N1 of the predetermined level value, which is the initial value, can print 600 sheets, for example, before the forced stop, and the count value N3, which is the warning display value, becomes 300, for example, before the forced stop.
Sheets can be printed and the count value N2 which is the second set value
Are set so that, for example, 500 sheets can be printed before the forced stop.

The count value in the non-volatile memory 15 is reset by replenishing the toner in the toner container 2.

Next, a procedure for detecting the remaining amount of toner based on the above configuration will be described with reference to a flowchart based on FIG.

First, as shown in (A), CPU1 on the machine control side
In step 2, the signal from the toner remaining amount sensor 11 is compared with, for example, a reference voltage corresponding to the lower limit level of the toner on the CPU 12 side. If the lower limit level is exceeded, the toner low flag and the continuous toner supply mode flag are turned off (STEP 1). On the other hand, when the toner level falls below the lower limit level, the toner low flag is turned on (S
TEP2), these signals are transmitted to the image CPU 13 side. No warning is displayed yet.

On the other hand, the toner density detection compares the signal from the toner density sensor 10 with a reference voltage corresponding to the toner density lower limit level of the CPU 12, for example, as shown in FIG. After turning on, set the timer (STEP3), then set the toner continuous supply mode flag to OFF (STEP4) while the time is not up, and turn off the supply motor if the toner concentration becomes lower than the lower limit level before the time is up. After clearing the timer (S
TEP5) The above operation is repeated thereafter. (STEP 6) If the toner density is still lower than the lower limit level even after the time-up, the continuous replenishment mode flag is determined, the continuous replenishment mode flag is turned on, and these signals are transmitted to the image CPU 13 side. (STEP 7) On the other hand, on the image CPU 13 side receiving the signal, as shown in (C), when the toner low flag is ON, the count value N is subtracted from the initial value N1 for each developed sheet (STEP 1).
1) If the subtracted value (N1-N) is larger than the warning display value N3 and the continuous toner supply mode flag is not turned on (STEP12), the process returns to (STEP11) again, and the count value N
, And the subtracted value (N1-N) is the warning display value N3
A warning will be displayed when the following occurs (STEP 13)
If the toner is not replenished during that time, the count value is further updated and when (N1-N) = 0, a machine stop instruction is issued. (STEP14) On the other hand, if the subtracted value (N1-N) is larger than the warning display value N3 and the continuous toner supply mode flag is ON and the count value N is larger than the shift value N2 (STEP15), the count is performed. When the subtraction is performed by the value N, and the subtracted value (N1-N) becomes equal to or less than the shift value N2 (STEP 16), the subtracted value (N1-N) is forcibly reduced to be lower than N3, and a warning is displayed. Do.

If the toner is not replenished into the toner container during that time, the count value is not reset and is further updated, and when (N1-N) = 0, the machine stop instruction is issued as described above. is there. (STEP14) Therefore, according to the embodiment, the operation of the present invention can be smoothly achieved.

In this embodiment, it is needless to say that the count value may be subtracted every time toner is supplied from the toner container to the developing container, instead of the number of developed images.

[Effects] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately display a toner shortage warning even when solid black printing or other continuous toner supply operation is performed when the remaining toner amount approaches an empty state. Thus, it is possible to provide a method for detecting the remaining amount of toner in the developing device, which enables more accurate remaining amount detection. And so on.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic operation diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a main part configuration around a developing device and a connection state of circuit blocks according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure thereof. FIG.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] When the remaining amount of toner in a toner container connected to a developing device main body becomes a predetermined level or less, the number of toner replenishments or the number of developments performed thereafter is counted, and the count value is set to the predetermined level. When a value obtained by subtracting from a preset value of the number of toner replenishments or the number of developments from when the developing device is forcibly stopped exceeds a predetermined set value (hereinafter, referred to as a first set value), a warning indicating a toner shortage or other user In the method for detecting a remaining amount of toner in a two-component developing device adapted to take a cognitive act, a second set value is set to a count value before the first set value is reached, and a second set value is set from the toner container within a predetermined time. When a toner supply operation to be supplied to the developing device main body is performed, when the subtracted value exceeds the first set value, a toner shortage warning display and other user recognition actions are performed. Performed, wherein exceeds a predetermined time the toner supply operation is performed, when the subtracted value exceeds the second set value, forcibly down than the first set value the subtracted value,
A toner remaining amount detection method in a two-component developing device, wherein a toner shortage warning display and other user recognition actions are performed.