JP3285738B2 - Process cartridge, developing device, and image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a process cartridge, a developing device, and an image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge and the developing device can be mounted.

Here, examples of the image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, an LED printer, a laser beam printer, etc.), an electrophotographic facsimile machine, an electrophotographic word processor, and the like.

Further, as a process cartridge, a charging unit, a developing unit or a cleaning unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body.
And at least one of a charging unit, a developing unit, and a cleaning unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive member can be integrally detachably mounted. Further, it refers to a device in which at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed as a cartridge so as to be detachable from the apparatus main body.

[0004]

When the process cartridge is used, the toner seal sealing the opening of the container filled with the developer (toner) is pulled out and removed, and the opening is opened to allow development. In the image forming apparatus main body.

The present invention is a further development of the prior art described below.

Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to solve the above-mentioned problems by developing the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a process capable of easily removing and removing a toner seal without causing toner leakage. It is to provide a cartridge.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

[0008]

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

The configuration of the present invention is as follows.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body, comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a process means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; A seal member that seals the developer supply port of the developing container and has an end portion exposed through a slit of the process cartridge to the outside, and an elastic seal member closing the slit is provided. The process cartridge is characterized in that the elastic seal member has a configuration in which the inner end in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge has a lower repulsive force than the outer end.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the elastic seal member is provided with a sheet member on a surface, and the sheet member has a substantially L-shaped inner side in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge than the elastic seal member. The process cartridge according to the first aspect, wherein the process cartridge has a bent configuration.

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[0021]

[0022]

[0023]

[0024]

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developing device detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body, a developing means acting on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing container containing a developer, and a developer in the developing container. A sealing member for sealing the supply port, and a slit for exposing the end of the sealing member to the outside in the longitudinal direction of the developing device, and an elastic sealing member for shielding the slit is provided. And a resilient member having a lower repulsive force at an inner end of the elastic seal member in a longitudinal direction of the process cartridge than at an outer end.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the elastic seal member is provided with a sheet member on a surface, and the sheet member has a substantially L-shaped inner side in the longitudinal direction of the developing device than the elastic seal member. The developing device according to the third aspect, characterized in that the developing device is bent.

[0027]

[0028]

[0029]

[0030]

[0031]

[0032]

[0033]

[0034]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is used as an image forming apparatus. A process cartridge system detachable from the main body is employed. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without relying on the Serbinman, so that the operability can be remarkably improved. Therefore, this process cartridge method,
Widely used in image forming apparatuses.

[0035]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention is directed to a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of a copying machine, a printer, or the like, and a rotatable electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and the electrophotographic photosensitive member. A charging device that acts on the drum, a developing device, and a cleaning device; a developing container that stores the developer; and a toner seal member that seals a developer supply port to the developing device of the developing container. There is a slit in the longitudinal direction for exposing the end portion of the toner seal member to the outside, and an elastic seal member shielding the slit is provided, and the inner end portion of the elastic seal member in the process cartridge longitudinal direction is the outer end. A process cartridge characterized in that the resilient member has a lower repulsive force than an end portion.

Here, the configuration in which the repulsive force is low means that the force for pressing the seal member is low. When the elastic seal member is assembled, the amount of deformation is set so that the inner end is smaller than the outer end. It is obtained by:

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the elastic sealing member has a sheet member provided on a surface thereof,
The process cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sheet member has a configuration in which a longitudinal inner side of the process cartridge is longer than an elastic seal member and is bent in a substantially L shape. .

Here, the sheet member extends from the elastic seal member to the cartridge frame on the inner side in the longitudinal direction from the elastic seal member.

[0039]

[0040]

[0041]

[0042]

[0043]

[0044]

[0045]

[0046]

[0047]

The third and fourth embodiments of the present invention are embodied in a developing device, and correspond to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, respectively.

[0049]

Next, several examples of the above embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) A process cartridge according to Embodiment 1 and an image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge can be mounted will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

<< Overall Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus and Process Cartridge >> This electrophotographic image forming apparatus (laser beam printer)
A irradiates an information light based on image information from an optical system 1 to a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member to form a latent image on the photosensitive member as shown in FIG. (Hereinafter referred to as “toner”) to form a toner image. In synchronism with the formation of the toner image, the recording medium 2 is separated and fed one by one from a paper feed cassette 3a by a pickup roller 3b and a pressing member 3c which presses the recording medium 2 and a pair of conveying rollers 3d and a pair of registration rollers 3e. The toner image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor conveyed by the conveying means 3 and formed into a cartridge as the process cartridge B is transferred to the recording medium 2 by applying a voltage to a transfer roller 4 as a transfer means. The recording medium 2 is transported to the fixing unit 5 by the transport belt 3f. The fixing means 5 and driving roller 5a, a rotatable consist supported fixing rotator 5 d constituted by a tubular sheet, heat and pressure to the recording medium 2 to pass by a support 5c with a built-in heater 5b The applied voltage fixes the transferred toner image. The recording medium 2 is conveyed by a pair of discharge rollers 3g and 3h, and is discharged to a discharge section 6 through a reverse conveyance path. The image forming apparatus A can also be manually fed by a manual tray 3i and a roller 3j.

On the other hand, the process cartridge B has an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one process means. Here, as the process means, for example, a charging means for charging an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing means for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a cleaning means for cleaning toner remaining on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member Etc. Process cartridge B of this embodiment
As shown in FIG. 14, the photosensitive drum 7, which is an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer, is rotated, and a voltage is applied to a charging roller 8, which is a charging unit, to uniformly form the surface of the photosensitive drum 7. The latent image is formed by exposing the charged photoreceptor drum 7 to the light image from the optical system 1 through the exposure opening 9 on the charged photoreceptor drum 7 so that the latent image is developed by the developing means 10. Make up.

The developing means 10 includes a toner storage section 10a
The toner inside is fed by a rotatable first toner feeding member 10b1 and a second toner feeding member 10b2, which are feeding means, and a developing roller 10d, which is a developing member having a fixed magnet 10c built therein, is rotated, and friction is generated by a developing blade 10e. The developing roller 10
The toner image is formed on the surface of d, and the toner is transferred to the photosensitive drum 7 in accordance with the latent image, thereby forming a toner image and visualizing the toner image.

After the toner image is transferred to the recording medium 2 by applying a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image to the transfer roller 4, the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 7 is scraped off by the cleaning blade 11a and the cleaning sheet 1 is removed.
1b, the residual toner on the photosensitive drum 7 is removed by the cleaning means 11 which is scooped and collected in the waste toner storage section 11c.

The cartridge frame is formed by injection molding a polystyrene resin. As shown in FIG. 15, a developing lower frame 12b is welded to the side of the developing frame 12a, and a lid frame is formed on the upper portion. 12c is welded to form a toner developing frame 12, which is a first frame.
And a cleaning frame 13 as a second frame.

The developing frame 12a has a toner supply opening 1
2a1, a film-shaped toner seal member 31 is welded to a seal attachment seat surface 12a5 formed around the toner supply opening 12a1 to seal the opening 12a1, and the developing frame 12a is filled with toner from the filling opening 12a2. After that, the cap 32 is covered with the filling port 12a2 to seal the toner storage section 10a. As shown in FIG. 16, the toner seal member 31 sealing the toner supply opening 12a1 is folded back on one side in the longitudinal direction of the toner supply opening 12a1, and has a free end provided on the developing frame 12a.
8 to the outside, process cartridge B
When using the device, hold the free end handle 31c in FIG.
6 to be removed in the direction of arrow a.

Here, the structure of the film-shaped toner seal member 31 is such that a cover film 31a for sealing the toner supply opening 12a1 is used for the purpose of reducing the strength at the time of opening.
And a tear tape 31b disposed between the cover film 31a and the opening 12a1 and tearing the cover film 31a at the time of opening to form the opening 12a1. Alternatively, a conventionally used easy peel type toner seal may be used in which the toner supply opening 12a1 is sealed with only one tear tape and the toner supply opening 12a1 is completely removed at the time of opening.

FIG. 3 shows details around the slit 12a8, which is cut in a plane perpendicular to the surface of the toner seal member 31 in the direction of the arrow A. Developing frame 12a and developing lower frame 12
b has a flat surface facing the slit 12a8, and a ridge 12b2 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing is provided on the exit side of the toner seal member 31 of the slit 12a8.

After the toner seal 31 is pulled out and the opening 12a1 is opened at the portion of the longitudinal end of the lower developing frame 12b where the slit 12a8 is formed without being welded to the developing frame 12a, the leakage of toner is prevented. To prevent this, a frame seal 49 is attached.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a schematic structure of the frame seal.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a developing lower frame to which a frame seal 49 and a sheet member 50 are adhered. FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the developing lower frame and the developing frame before and after welding. Frame seal 4
Reference numeral 9 denotes a low-hardness elastic member made of, for example, foamable rubber, malt plain, felt, or the like. Frame seal 4
Reference numeral 9 denotes a shape in which an upper side 49b, which is an upper side, extends to an inner side wall 12b3 of the developing lower frame 12b. The sheet member 50 is attached to the surface of the frame seal 49. The sheet member 50 is a slippery material for reducing the frictional resistance between the toner seal member 31 and the frame seal 49 when the toner seal member 31 is pulled out. For example, a sheet of polyethylene terephthalate PET, polyamide, vinyl chloride, polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, or the like is used.
As the shape of the sheet member 50, the toner seal member 31 is used.
Is wider than the width of the toner seal member 31, and the outer side in the longitudinal direction is attached to the inner side of the outer end of the frame seal 49. This is because if the sheet member 50 is also adhered to the outer end surface of the frame seal 49, the toner tends to leak to the outside through the sheet member 50 with good slip. Further, the inner side 50 a of the sheet member 50 in the longitudinal direction has a shape longer than the frame seal 49. At the time of pasting, the inside of the frame seal 49 is adhered to the middle of the side wall 12b3 of the developing lower frame 12b, and the upper side 4
9a is stuck on the inner side wall 12b3 of the developing lower frame 12b as it is. At this time, the upper side 49a protrudes a little from the tip of the developing lower frame 12b by d dimension. The long portion on the inner side 50a of the sheet member 50 covers the inner side surface of the frame seal 49 as it is, and the R-shaped corner 49c of the frame seal 49 is pulled slightly so as to be slightly crushed, and the corner 49c is greatly rounded. And attached to the inner side wall 12b3 of the developing lower frame 12b.
Since the inner end portion of the developing frame 12a, that is, the entrance F side of the toner seal member 31, is rounded, the developing frame 12a and the lower developing frame 1
In a state where the frame seal 49 is crushed by welding 2b, the rounded corner 49c is on the entrance F side and the compression amount of the frame seal 12a is smaller than the outside, so that the frame seal 49 is compressed. Has a lower repulsive force than the outside (outlet side). Therefore, when the toner seal member 31 is pulled out, the toner intervenes inside the folded and looped shape of the toner seal member 31, and in the related art, the toner seal member 31 is moved inside the frame seal 49 (entrance). Even when the sheet cannot be pulled out, it is difficult to be caught because the sealing resistance on the entrance side is low, and the sheet member 50 and the frame seal 49 are not turned up by being caught on the edge of the sheet member 50. Thus, the toner seal member 31 can be normally pulled out.

(Embodiment 2) Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention is shown in FIGS. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a developing lower frame to which a frame seal and a sheet member are attached, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional configuration diagrams before and after welding of the developing lower frame and the developing frame. In the first embodiment, the sheet member 50 has a longer shape on the inner side 50a beyond the frame seal 49, but the frame body seal 49 also has a shape with the inner side 49d elongated like the sheet member 50, and the developing lower frame 12b has It is configured to be attached to the inner side wall 12b3. In the figure, the frame seal 49 and the sheet member 50 have the same length on the inside, but if both have a length that goes around the inner side wall 12b3 of the developing lower frame 12b, either of them is longer. Is also good.

(Embodiment 3) FIGS. 7 to 9 show Embodiment 3 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a lower developing frame to which a frame seal and a sheet member are adhered, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional configuration diagrams before and after welding of the lower developing frame and the developing frame. As described above, in Embodiments 1 and 2, when the toner seal is pulled out, in order to prevent the toner seal 31 from being caught at the frame seal portion, the toner seal entrance F side of the frame seal 49 is used. The seal repulsion force is set low so that the toner seal 31 can easily enter the frame seal 49. Next, another configuration that achieves the same effect will be described.

The inner corner 12b4 of the developing lower frame 12b inside the frame seal sticking seat surface 12b1 is tapered. The region to be tapered is a region smaller than the length of the sheet member 50 in the longitudinal direction. The frame member 49 and the sheet member 50 have a configuration in which the sheet member 50 is shorter than the frame member 49 on the outside in the longitudinal direction as in the related art. As a result, the toner seal entrance F side of the frame seal 49 has a tapered inner corner 12b4 of the seat surface 12b1 where the frame seal is affixed.

Embodiment 4 Next, Embodiment 4 of the present invention is shown in FIGS. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a developing lower frame to which a frame seal and a sheet member are attached, FIGS.
2 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram before and after welding of the developing lower frame and the developing frame body. In the third embodiment, the seat surface 1 to which the frame seal 49 is attached
Although the inside corner 12b4 of 2b1 is tapered, a similar configuration may be adopted in which the surface of the inside corner of the frame seal 49, that is, the attachment surface 49a of the sheet member 50 is tapered.

The area to be tapered is made smaller than the length of the sheet member 50 in the longitudinal direction. The sheet member 50 has a configuration in which the sheet member 50 is shorter than the frame seal 49 on the outside in the longitudinal direction, as in the related art. The process cartridge has been described above, but it is needless to say that the process cartridge can be applied to a developing device that is detachable from the image forming apparatus. That is, the developing frame body 12 to which the developing means composed of each member is mounted can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus.

[0068]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS There is a process cartridge or a developing device detachable from a copying machine or a printer, or a copying machine or a printer detachably mounting a process cartridge or a developing device.

[0069]

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the toner seal member is opened, the toner seal member has a longitudinally inner end in the longitudinal direction of the frame seal to prevent toner leakage. Even when the toner seal is easily caught at the entrance of the toner seal member, by reducing the repulsive force of the frame seal at the entrance,
The toner seal member can be easily pulled out without turning up the frame seal and the sheet member.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sealing member at an outlet of a drawer portion of a toner seal member of a developing frame according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view in an exploded state in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view in an assembled state in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a sealing member at an outlet of a drawer portion of a toner seal member of a developing frame according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the disassembled state in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view in an assembled state in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sealing member at an outlet of a drawer portion of a toner seal member of a developing frame according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the disassembled state in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a horizontal sectional view in an assembled state in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a sealing member at an outlet of a drawer portion of a toner seal member of a developing frame according to a fourth embodiment.

11 is a horizontal sectional view of the disassembled state in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a horizontal sectional view in an assembled state in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment of the process cartridge.

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of the process cartridge.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a developing container of the process cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

A: Image forming apparatus B: Process cartridge F: Entrance port 1: Optical means 2: Recording medium 3: Transport means 3a: Cassette 3b:
Pickup roller 3c Pressure contact member 3d Transport roller 3e Registration roller 3f Transport belt 3g, 3h Discharge roller 3i Manual feed tray 3j
Roller 4: Transfer roller 5: Fixing means 5a: Drive roller 5b: Heater 5c
... Support 5d ... Fixing rotary body 6 ... Ejector 7 ... Photoreceptor drum 8 ... Charging roller 9 ... Exposure opening 10 ... Developer 10a ... Toner storage 10b1, 10b2 ... Toner feeder 10c ... Magnet 10d ... Developer roller 10e Developing blade 11 Cleaning means 11a Cleaning blade 11b Squeeze sheet 11c Waste toner storage unit 12 Toner developing frame 12a Developing frame 12
a1 toner supply opening 12a2 filling port 12a5
Sealing seat surface 12a8 Slit 12b Developing lower frame 12b1 Frame sealing sticking seat surface 12b2 Projection
12b3 ... side wall 12b4 ... inner corner 12c ... lid frame 13 ... cleaning frame 31 ... toner seal member
31a ... cover film 31b ... tear tape 32 ...
Cap 49: Frame seal 49a: Seat surface to which the sheet member is attached 49b: Upper side 49c: Corner 49d: Inside
50: Sheet member 50a: Inside.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 21/16-21/18 G03G 15/08-15/08 507 G03G 15/00 550

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A process cartridge detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus, comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a process unit acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a developing container for storing a developer; and a developer for the developing container. A sealing member that seals the supply port and whose end is exposed to the outside through a slit of the process cartridge, and an elastic sealing member that closes the slit is provided. A process cartridge characterized in that a repulsive force of an elastic seal member is lower at an inner end in a longitudinal direction of the process cartridge than at an outer end. 2. The elastic seal member is provided with a sheet member on a surface, and the sheet member is longer than the elastic seal member on the inner side in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge.
2. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge is bent in a letter shape. 3. A developing device detachable from an image forming apparatus main body, a developing means acting on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing container for storing a developer, and a seal for sealing a developer supply port of the developing container. And a slit for exposing an end of the seal member to the outside in the longitudinal direction of the developing device. An elastic seal member shielding the slit is provided, and a process of the elastic seal member is provided. A developing device wherein an inner end in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge has a configuration in which a repulsive force of an elastic seal member is lower than an outer end. 4. The elastic seal member is provided with a sheet member on a surface, and the sheet member has a configuration in which a longitudinal inner side of the developing device is longer than the elastic seal member and is bent in a substantially L-shape. 4. The developing device according to claim 3, wherein: