JP3169718B2 - Developing device for electrophotographic recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is applicable to an electrophotographic recording apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, etc., which performs recording on a sheet by an electrophotographic method using a laser. More specifically, the present invention relates to a developing device in such an electrophotographic recording apparatus, which applies a toner with a developing roller to visualize a latent image on a photoconductor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 10, this type of developing device comprises a toner cartridge 1 and a developing device main body 2 provided with a developing roller and the like. An opening 1a for supplying toner is provided in the toner cartridge 1, and an elongate sealing film 3 is adhered to the opening 1a from one side to close the opening 1a, and then the opening 1a is opened. The developing device is constructed by folding back up to one end to form a holding end 3a for peeling off, and integrally opening the opening 1a toward the developing device main body 2 side.

When the developing device is used, the holding end 3
a, the sealing film 3 is peeled off in the length direction thereof to form an opening 1a, and the toner in the toner cartridge 1 is supplied to the developing device main body 2 through the opening 1a.

[0004]

However, since the opening 1a is covered with the sealing film 3 and then turned back to the initial position, the length of the sealing film 3 is equal to the length of the opening 1a of the toner cartridge 1. More than 2 times A was required. For this reason, there has been a problem that the drawing length for peeling off the sealing film 3 becomes long, and a space for that is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to reduce the pull-out length when peeling off a sealing film attached to an opening of a toner cartridge.

[0006]

Therefore, according to the present invention, an elongated sealing film 42 for closing an opening 40a of a toner cartridge 40 is provided as shown in the following embodiment, for example.
The toner in the toner cartridge 40 is supplied to the developing device main body 39 side through the opening 40a, and the toner is adhered by the developing roller 35 provided in the developing device main body 39 so that the toner is In the developing device 14 of the electrophotographic recording apparatus for visualizing the latent image of the above, the holding portion 42a is provided at an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction to form the sealing film 42, and the sealing film 42 is formed.
Is attached from the center of the opening 40a toward one side, and the other end is attached from the other side toward the center, and the holding portion 42a is positioned at the other side of the opening 40a. The sealing film 42 is provided so as to be peelable in the length direction thereof.

In the developing device 14 of the electrophotographic recording apparatus according to the first embodiment, the sealing film 42 is bent and its bending position is set as in the following embodiment, for example. 42b are fixed to each other at an appropriate length m, and the holding portion 42a is provided.
It is characterized by the following.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic recording apparatus according to the first aspect, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. Indication 4 that appears just before the end of the peeling of the film 42
4 is provided on the sealing film 42.

[0009]

When used, the sealing film 42 is pulled in the longitudinal direction with the holding portion 42a of the sealing film 42, and the one end A and the other end B are simultaneously peeled off.

According to the second aspect, when the sealing film is peeled off, it is pulled by the holding portion a.
The sealing film 42 is peeled off without deviating in both sides.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the indication 44 appears immediately before the peeling is completed, the sealing film 42 is carefully peeled off.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of a laser printer including a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. What is indicated by reference numeral 10 in the drawing is the apparatus main body. The apparatus main body 10 includes an upper structure 10a and a lower structure 10b, and the upper structure 10a is attached to a lower structure 10b by a shaft 11a.
Can be freely opened and closed.

In the apparatus main body 10, a belt-shaped photosensitive member 12 is provided substantially at the center. Around the photoconductor 12,
The charger 13, the developing device 14,
The transfer device 15 and the cleaning device 16 are arranged. And
An optical writing unit 18 is disposed below the charger 13 and the cleaning unit 16, and a sheet cassette 19 is detachably mounted diagonally above the developing unit 14.

The sheet fed from the paper feed cassette 19 by the paper feed roller 20 is conveyed to the upper side of the photoreceptor 12 at a timing by a pair of registration rollers 21. On the other hand, the photoconductor 12 is driven in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by an arrow. At this time, the surface of the photoconductor 12 is uniformly charged by the charger 13, and is irradiated with laser light from the optical writer 18 on the photoconductor 12. To form an electrostatic latent image. This latent image is visualized by the toner when passing through the developing device 14.

The visible image is transferred to the lower surface of the sheet conveyed above the photoreceptor 12 by the transfer device 15. The transferred sheet is guided by the conveyance guide 23 and conveyed to the fixing device 17, where the visible image is fixed. The sheet exiting the fixing device 17 is further conveyed to a sheet discharge section 25 by a sheet discharge roller 24, guided by a sheet discharge guide 26, and stacked on a sheet discharge tray 27.

The above-mentioned developing device 14 is constructed by integrating a developing device main body 39 and a toner cartridge 40 as shown in FIG. The developing device main body 39 has a developing frame 30. The developing frame 30 is provided with a developing chamber 32. A developing roller window 33 is provided above the developing chamber 32,
A toner supply port 34 is provided on the right side of the developing roller window 33. Further, a developing roller 35, a toner replenishing member 36, a thin layer blade 37 and a static elimination brush 38 are mounted in the developing chamber 32. The tips of the thin-layer blade 37 and the discharging brush 38 are brought into contact with the surface of the developing roller 35, respectively. The developing device main body 39 includes the charger 13 described above.
Also, an optical component 31 that transmits laser light is attached.

On the other hand, the toner cartridge 40 has a toner chamber 46 in a case 45. The toner chamber 46 is provided with an opening 40a for supplying the toner to the developing device main body 39, and rotatably supports the agitator 41 on a support shaft 41a. Further, a toner-end detection sensor 47 is provided on the wall surface.

When the agitator 41 rotates clockwise as indicated by an arrow, the toner is supplied to the developing device main body 39 through the opening 40a and the toner supply port 34 while stirring.
Then, the toner is attached to the developing roller 35 rotating clockwise by the toner supply member 36. The attached toner is blocked by the tip of the thin layer blade 37 to make the layer thin. Then, toner is attached to the photoconductor 12 through the developing roller window 33, and the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor 12 is visualized.

By the way, the case of the toner cartridge 40 is
The hole 45 configures the opening 40a as follows. FIG.
The case 45 of the toner cartridge 40 is shown in a simplified manner. An opening 40a for supplying toner has a length A, and a rib 40b is provided at the center of the opening 40a.
a is bisected in the length direction. And the opening 40a
Before the developing device main body 39 and the toner cartridge 40 are integrated, the opening 40a is closed with an elongated sealing film 42 as shown in FIG.

The sealing film 42 is bent at an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction, and a fixing portion 42c fixed to each other by welding, bonding or the like is formed at a position of an appropriate length m from the bending position 42b to form a sealing portion 42c. A holding portion 42a is provided at an intermediate position of the film 42. Then, one end side a of the sealing film 42 is opened from the position of the rib 40b toward the left in the figure.
The sheet is adhered to the left opening edge 40c of FIG. Open the other end b
From the right opening edge 40d toward the left in the figure.
Attach it to the position and cover the right half of the opening 40a and turn it back. Then, the folded back end portions a and b are extended rightward along the opening 40a, and the holding portion 42a is connected to the opening 40a.
To the right of

The reason why the rib 40b is provided at the center of the opening 40a is that the rib 40b is used as a receiving base for welding and is used as the sealing film 42.
In order to facilitate the mutual welding between the end of the one end side A and the folded portion of the other end side B, and to make the welding more reliable so that there is no possibility of toner leakage from this part. .

The toner cartridge 40 is attached to the developing device main body 39 as shown in FIG.
9, the opening 40a side of the toner cartridge 40 is opposed to the toner supply port 34 side, and the holding portion 4 of the sealing film 42 is
The developing frame 30 and the case 45 are heat-welded at the outer periphery of the opening 40a except for the side 2a, and the developing device main body 39 and the toner car are welded.
The carriage 40 and the cartridge 40 are integrally connected.

When used, the sealing film 4
The sealing film 42 is pulled in the length direction with the second holding portion 42a. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the sealing film 42 is peeled off, and as shown in FIG. 4, as shown in FIG. 4, when the sealing film 42 is pulled out to the distance A, the welded portion of the sealing film 42 is almost peeled off and A / 2 which is not welded The length of the sealing film 42 remains along the opening 40a. Therefore, the entirety of the sealing film 42 can be removed by finally pulling the length of A / 2, and the opening 40a and the toner supply port 3 can be removed.
4 communicates. That is, the drawing length is shorter than the conventional one by A / 2.

Immediately before the peeling of the sealing film 42 is completed, as shown in FIG. 5, a character display 44 for announcing that the peeling is to be completed soon, or as shown in FIG. , A symbol indication 44 appears on the side of the developing device 39. Then, by peeling off the sealing film 42 while watching the display 44 and paying attention, it is possible to prevent a danger of hitting the arm or the like with excessive force at the same time as the end of the pulling-out in a small office.

[0025]

Therefore, according to the present invention, a sealing film is formed by providing a holding portion at an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction, and one end of the sealing film is positioned from the center of the opening of the toner cartridge. Affixed in one direction and affixed the other end toward the center from the other side, the holding part can be peeled off the sealing film at the other side of the opening in the length direction. , It is possible to make the drawing length when the sealing film is peeled off shorter than the conventional length.

According to the second aspect, it is possible to easily provide a holding portion that can be peeled off without shifting one end side and the other end side.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, by carefully peeling off the sealing film when the display appears, there is a danger of hitting an arm or the like in a small office or the like at the time of peeling. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a toner cartridge of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the cartridge is attached to the developing device main body.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a film is attached to the toner cartridge.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a state in which the sealing film has been partially peeled off.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state immediately before the peeling of the sealing film is completed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a developing device showing an example of a display provided on the sealing film.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a developing device showing another example of the display.

FIG. 7 shows a toner cartridge cartridge in the developing device.
FIG.

FIG. 8 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of the developing device.

FIG. 9 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of a laser printer including the developing device.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state where a toner cartridge of a conventional developing device is attached to a developing device main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Photoreceptor 14 Developing device 35 Developing roller 39 Developing device main body 40 Toner cartridge 40a Opening 42 Sealing film 42a Holding portion 42b Bending position 44 Indication One end side Other end side m Appropriate length

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An elongate sealing film that closes an opening of the toner cartridge is peeled off with a holding portion, and the toner in the toner cartridge is supplied to the developing device main body through the opening; In a developing device of an electrophotographic recording apparatus for visualizing a latent image on a photoreceptor by attaching toner with a roller, the holding portion is provided at an intermediate position in a length direction to form the sealing film, Affixing one end of the sealing film toward one side from the center of the opening, and affixing the other end toward the center from the other side, and placing the holding portion on the other side of the opening. A developing device for an electrophotographic recording apparatus, comprising: a sealing film capable of being peeled off in a longitudinal direction thereof. 2. The developing device for an electrophotographic recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sealing film is bent and fixed to each other at a position of an appropriate length from said bending position, and said holding portion is provided. 3. A display which appears immediately before the peeling of the sealing film is completed is provided on the sealing film.
A developing device for the electrophotographic recording apparatus according to claim 1.