JP3440436B2 - Developing 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 developing device of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer,
Specifically, a plurality of developing devices having a developer carrying member, and a developing device at a developing position facing the image carrying member of the plurality of developing devices are moved to the outside of the developing position, and a developing device located outside the developing position. The present invention relates to a developing device provided with a developing device moving means for moving a developer carrier to the developing position and a developer carrying body driving means for rotationally driving the developer carrying body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a developing device of this type, a developer carrying member is rotated immediately before the developing device reaches the developing position (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-24707), or the developing device is placed at the developing position. It is known that the driving force of an external driving source is transmitted to the developing device during the course of movement to bring the developing device into a driving state (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-178263).

[0003]

However, in the developing device having the above-mentioned structure, when the constituent member of the developing device moving means for moving the developing device, such as the supporting member of the developing device, has play or bending. At the time of starting the movement of the developing device at the developing position out of the developing position (at the time of starting), the developing device may momentarily move in a direction different from the predetermined moving direction. The instantaneous moving direction of this developing device is
It depends on how the driving force is applied to the developing device by the developing device moving means. Here, for example, in the case of a configuration in which the developing device driving means applies a driving force such that the developing device approaches the image bearing member instantaneously, the developing device driving means is provided between the developer bearing member and the image bearing member of the developing device. Gap (hereinafter referred to as "development gap")
When the developing device is started up, it becomes narrow instantaneously. When the narrowing of the developer gap occurs in this way, the developer on the driven developer carrier moves to the development gap, so that the area where the developer is formed is formed in the development gap. It extends toward the image bearing member more than during normal development. Most of the developer existing in the extended portion on the image carrier side of this existing region is carried by the developer carrier when the developing gap returns to the original size and passes through the developing gap, but a part thereof The developer of (1) becomes difficult to be carried on the developer carrying body because it is distant from the developer carrying body, and there is a possibility that it moves to the image carrying body side and adheres to the surface of the image carrying body.

Also, when the developing device is moved to the developing position, depending on the direction of the driving force input to the developing device by the developing device moving means, when the developing device stops moving, the developing device approaches the image carrier. There is a possibility that the developing gap may be narrowed momentarily by moving in such a direction. Therefore, even when the movement of the developing device is stopped, the developer may be attached to the surface of the image carrier as described above due to the instantaneous narrowing of the developer gap.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to prevent the developer on the developer carrier from adhering to the surface of the image carrier at the start and stop of the movement of the developing device. To provide a developing device capable of preventing the above.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, a plurality of developing devices having a developer carrying member and a developing device at a developing position facing the image carrying member among the plurality of developing devices are developed. Development including a developing device moving means for moving the developing device outside the developing position to the developing position and a developing agent carrier driving means for rotationally driving the developing agent carrier. According to a first aspect of the present invention, the rotation speed of the developer carrier when the developer on the developer carrier is in contact with or in proximity to the image carrier with the movement of the developing device. , A rotational speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the developer existing between the developer carrying member and the image carrying member is smaller than the force for pulling and carrying the developer toward the developer carrying member. In addition, a control means for controlling the developer carrier driving means is provided. According to a second aspect of the present invention, the acceleration at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device is defined as the acceleration at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device. It is characterized in that it is set so that the gap between the first and second portions becomes instantaneously narrow and the region where the developer existing in the gap exists is not extended to the image carrier side.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the developing device according to the second aspect, the absolute value of the acceleration at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device is used as the developer carrying amount at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device. The gap between the body and the image carrier is momentarily narrowed, and the developer existing region formed in the gap is set to the maximum value within the range that does not extend to the image carrier side, and based on the maximum value of the acceleration, The time change profile of the moving speed when the developing device is moved is determined so that the moving time of the developing device is minimized.

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the developing device is moved to the developing position and when the developing device is moved from the developing position to the outside of the developing position, the control means controls the developer carrying member driving means. The rotation speed of the developer carrier when the developer on the developer carrier is in contact with or close to the image carrier with the movement of the developing unit is The rotation speed is set so that the centrifugal force acting on the developer existing therebetween is smaller than the force of pulling and carrying the developer toward the developer carrying member. By setting the rotation speed of the developer carrying member in this manner, the developing gap is instantly narrowed at the start and stop of the movement of the developing device, so that the area where the developer is present is formed in the developing gap. Even if the developer extends to the side of the carrier, the developer trying to move in the extending portion of the existing region on the side of the image carrier is prevented from moving to the side of the image carrier by the centrifugal force.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the acceleration at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device is set to a predetermined acceleration, and the developer carrying member is set at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device. The gap with the image bearing member is instantaneously narrowed so that the area where the developer is formed in the gap does not extend toward the image bearing member.

By the way, when the acceleration in the acceleration region and the deceleration region during the movement of the developing device is changed, the moving time of the developing device which can be minimized under the condition of the acceleration and the temporal change of the moving speed at that time. The profile is decided. When the acceleration of the developing device is set to be large, the moving time of the developing device is shortened, and when the acceleration of the developing device is set to be small, the moving time of the developing device is lengthened.

Therefore, in the invention of claim 3, the absolute value of the acceleration at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device is defined as the developer carrying member and the image carrying member at the starting and stopping of the moving of the developing device. Is set to a maximum value within a range in which the area where the developer and the developer existing in the gap do not extend toward the image carrier is narrowed instantaneously. Then, based on the maximum value of the acceleration, a time change profile of the moving speed when the developing device is moved is determined so as to minimize the moving time of the developing device, and the developing device moving means is controlled. As a result, the moving time of the developing device is minimized.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a rotary developing device of a full color printer which is an image forming apparatus will be described below. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary developing device 4 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the developing device 4, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the developing device 4. In FIG. 1, the rotary developing device 4 has therein a developing device for each of four colors, for example, black, cyan, yellow and magenta, and has a substantially cylindrical outer periphery that is attached rotatably around the central axis in the printer body. Holding unit 40 and four toner containers 41, 42, 43, 44 corresponding to the developing devices in a one-to-one correspondence and containing black, yellow, magenta, and cyan toners, respectively. A toner container unit 45 which is attached so as to be substantially coaxial with the front side of the unit 40 in the direction of the central axis and rotates integrally with the developing unit 40 about the central axis.
And a storage stand 46 slidable on the printer main body substantially parallel to the central axis while carrying the developing device unit 40 and the toner container unit 45 (hereinafter, referred to as a revolver developing unit), and the rotary supply unit. The cover 47 is provided so as not to rotate.

The revolver developing unit includes a receiving table 46.
The disk-shaped front end wall 5 of the developing device unit 40 includes, for example, two support rollers 49 rotatably attached to the front support plate 48 of
0, and a central axis 52 of the tip end taper protruding from the center of the disk-shaped rear end wall 51 of the developing device unit 40.
Is rotatably supported by the central shaft insertion hole 54 and the central shaft holder 52a formed in the rear plate 53 of the main body, so that the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 1 in the printer main body is, for example, as shown in FIG. Are positioned so as to be parallel to each other in a horizontal plane substantially the same as the axis of rotation of, and are rotatable.

The housing base 46 has a front support plate 48, a rear support plate 55, and a side cover 59 having front and rear end portions fixed to both support plates and reinforced by connecting rods 56, 57 and 58.
Have and. An insertion hole 60 into which the revolver developing unit can be inserted is formed in the front support plate 48, and in addition to the support roller 49, a motor 61 for driving a toner replenishing roller provided in the toner container unit 45 and the motor 61. A gear train 62 driven by a motor 61 is attached.
In addition, as shown in FIG.
An intermediate plate 63 supported by the connecting rods 56 and 57 is attached in the vicinity of 5, and a positioning pin 63b that fits into a positioning hole 63a formed in the rear plate of the main body is provided in the intermediate plate 63 so as to project. A base end portion of a bracket 64 is swingably attached to a positioning pin portion between the intermediate plate 63 and the rear support plate 55, and a predetermined portion of the peripheral surface portion of the rear end wall of the developing device unit is attached to the front end portion of the bracket 64. A positioning roller 66 that falls into any of a plurality of (four in this example) recesses 65 formed at a location is rotatably supported. The bracket 64 is urged in the direction of the arrow by the spring 67, and when the concave portion 65 faces the roller 66 by the rotation of the revolver developing unit, for example, as shown by the broken line in FIG. It is designed to be dropped into 65.

On the other hand, a front plate 68 of the main body of the printer is formed with an insertion hole 69 or the like into which the above-mentioned storage stand 46 carrying the revolver developing unit can be inserted.
Upper and lower guides 70, 71 for slidably supporting the storage stand 46 are hung between the main body rear side plate 53 and the main body. Guided portions 72 and 73 are provided at the upper end and side portions of the storage table side cover 59 as the receiving table portion guided by these guides 70 and 71, and the lower surface portion of the guided portion 73 on the side of these is provided. The pin groove 7 into which the guide pin 74 planted upward in the guide 71 is inserted.
5 is formed. The pin groove is provided in the accommodating table 46 when the accommodating table 46 is inserted into or pulled out from the printer body.
The revolver developing unit so that the revolver developing unit can be guided to a predetermined position relatively close to the photosensitive drum 1 when the insertion is completed and the revolver developing unit can be guided away from the photosensitive drum 1. Then, the shape is bent so that it becomes closer to the photosensitive drum 1.

Further, the tip of the positioning pin 63b projectingly provided on the intermediate plate 63 has a tapered shape, and the tip of the rear plate 53 of the main body immediately before the completion of insertion of the storage base into the printer main body. The rear support plate 55 of the accommodating base 46 can be accurately positioned in the main body when it is inserted into the positioning hole 63a and the insertion is completed. On the other hand, the front support plate 48 of the storage table 46 is fixed to the front plate 68 of the main body with screws 76 or the like after the insertion of the storage table 46 into the main body is completed. Instead of this, a tape-shaped positioning pin may be used similarly to the rear support plate 55. The rear end portion of the revolver developing unit is supported by the rear side plate 53 of the storage table 46 when the storage table 46 is pulled out. Gradually, it gets in and is lifted up, and at the time of completion of the insertion, it completely floats up from the rear support plate 55. As a result, the revolver developing unit includes the support table 48 on the front of the accommodating base accurately positioned on the main body.
The front end portion is supported by the support roller 49, and the rear end portion is rotatably positioned by the main body rear side plate 53 through the central shaft 52 so that the rear end portion is rotatable.

The revolver developing unit is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, a revolver rotation motor 7 which is attached to the main body rear side plate 53 and includes, for example, a stepping motor.
A revolver output gear 78, which is also mounted on the rear plate 53 of the main body, driven by 7, has a revolver input of approximately the same diameter as the rear end plate 51 fixed to the rear surface of the rear end plate of the developing device unit 40 by screws or the like. It is adapted to be meshed with the gear 79 to be rotationally driven. On the rear plate 53 of the main body, a developing drive motor 80 for driving a developing roller in the developing device unit 40 described later, a developing output gear 81 driven by the developing drive motor 80, each motor and each output gear. A gear box 82 and the like that accommodates a gear train that connects the and are also attached.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 2 showing the internal structure of the developing device unit 40. The developing device unit 40 includes the above-mentioned substantially disc-shaped front and rear end plates (see FIG. 2) and partition walls provided between the front and rear end plates as shown in FIG. This partition wall is a hollow cylindrical portion 8 into which a cylindrical black toner bottle containing black toner can be inserted.
2 and developing device casing portions 83, 83C that radially extend from the hollow cylindrical portion 82 and divide the space around the hollow cylindrical portion 82 into four developing chambers of substantially the same type in the circumferential direction,
It consists of 83M and 83Y. In each of these developing chambers, a two-component developer including a magnetic carrier as a developer and a toner of each color is stored. In the illustrated example, the developing position facing the photoconductor drum is the developing chamber of the black developing device containing the black toner and the carrier, and in the counterclockwise order in the figure, the yellow developing device containing the yellow toner and the carrier is arranged. A developing chamber, a developing chamber of a magenta developing unit containing magenta toner and a carrier, and a developing chamber of a cyan developing unit containing cyan toner and a carrier.

Since the internal structures of the four developing chambers are exactly the same, the internal structure of the black developing chamber in the developing position will be described below as an example in FIG. 4, and the internal structures of the other developing chambers will be described. Are the same reference numerals as the corresponding reference numerals in the black developing chambers, but with the suffixes Y, M, and C added to distinguish the yellow, magenta, and cyan developing chambers from each other. To do.

In the black developing device in the developing position in the figure, an opening portion facing the photosensitive drum 1 is formed in the developing device casing portion 83, and a part is exposed through the opening portion in the developing chamber. A developing roller 84 is provided. Further, in the developing chamber, a doctor blade 85 that regulates the amount of developer carried by a developing roller 84 and is conveyed to a portion facing the photosensitive drum 1, and the development regulated by the doctor blade 85 and held in the developing chamber An upper conveying screw 86 for conveying a part of the developer from the rear to the front along the central axis direction and a guide 87 thereof, and a stirring paddle 88 for stirring the developer in the developing chamber are provided. The stirring paddle 88 has a plurality of developer discharge holes 89a across the width of the developing roller 84.
And a plurality of stirring plate portions 90 radially extending from the peripheral surface of the hollow cylindrical portion 89. The hollow cylindrical portion 89 is provided with the agitating plate portion 90 radially extending from the peripheral surface thereof. A lower carrying screw 91 for carrying the developer in the opposite direction to the screw 86 is housed. The developer casing below the lower transport screw 91 serves as a deteriorated developer discharge port and, if necessary, an unused developer (toner-mixed) inlet when the developer is replaced due to the deterioration of development in the developing chamber. An agent discharge port 92 extending in the rotation axis direction for use is formed, and a cap 93 that covers the discharge port 92 from the outside is fixed by a screw 94 or the like.

Incidentally, in order to efficiently discharge the deteriorated developer from the discharge port 92, the revolver developing unit is placed in the receiving table 4.
6, the development input gear 95 (see FIG. 6), which will be described later, is rotated using a jig, and the developing roller 84, the vertical transport screws 86 and 91, and the paddle 88 are rotated to deteriorate the development. It is desirable to expel the agent. Further, even when the unused developer is introduced from the discharge port 92, the developer can be uniformly dispersed in the developer by rotating the developing roller 84, the upper and lower conveying screws 86 and 91, and the stirring paddle 88 in the same manner. .

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the rear end wall 51 of the developing unit 40 as seen from the front side. The revolver input gear 7 fixed to the rear end wall portion, specifically, the rear end wall 51.
The illustrated gears are provided on the rear side of the gear 9. That is, the developing roller gear 98 is fixed to the shaft end portion of the developing roller 84 that penetrates through the rear end wall 51 and the like and protrudes to the rear side of the revolver input gear 79. Vertical transport screw gears 99 and 100 are fixedly mounted on the respective shaft ends of the vertical transport screws 86 and 91 protruding to the rear side. In the illustrated example, the developing roller gear 98 and the lower carrying screw gear 10 are used.
Idle gear 101 meshing with 0 and the rear plate 53 of the main body
Development input gear 95 for meshing with a development output gear 81 which is attached to the
Is attached to the rear side of the rear end wall 51 of the developing device unit. As described above, the revolver developing unit in which these gears are provided on the rear end wall side is carried on the storage stand 46 and inserted into the printer main body.
As shown in (a), the development output gear 81 on the main body side meshes with the development input gear 95 on the revolver development unit side. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 5A, the revolver output gear 78 on the main body side is meshed with the revolver input gear 79 on the revolver developing unit side. By setting the meshing of the gears in this way, the rotation of the developing roller 84 of the developing device is started before the developing device is moved to the developing position by the rotation of the revolver developing unit, and the developing roller located at the developing position is rotated. After separating the container from the developing position, the developing roller 8
By stopping the rotation of No. 4, the toner on the developing roller is prevented from adhering to the surface of the photoconductor drum 1 and causing the background stain.

FIG. 6A is a plan view of the drive motor section of the rotary type developing device, and FIG. 6B is a front view of the drive motor section. As can be seen from these figures, the gears 78, 81 on the main body side are retractable in the slide direction of the storage base so that the gears on the main body side and the revolver developing unit side are meshed well with the insertion of the storage base. Installed,
In addition, the springs 102 and 103 as biasing means push and bias it toward the front side of the main body. As a result, the gears 78 and 81 on the main body side and the gear 7 on the revolver developing unit side
Even when 9 and 95 interfere with each other when the storage table is inserted, the gears 78 and 81 on the main body side retract and the storage table 46 can be completely inserted. And the main body side gear 78 after that,
The interference of the gears can be eliminated with the driving of 81, and the main body gears 78, 8 are closest to the revolver developing unit side by the biasing force.
1 is pushed out, and the gear 79 on the revolver developing unit side,
Complete engagement with 95 can be realized.

In the state where the above complete meshing is realized, in FIG. 5 (a), the developing output gear 81 is driven in the direction shown by the arrow A in the figure, and the vertical conveying screw gear is engaged via the developing input gear 95 meshing with this. 99 and 100 rotate, and the upper and lower transport screws 86 and 91 are driven to rotate. Further, the developing roller gear 98 is rotated via the developing input gear 95, the lower carrying screw gear 100 and the idle gear 101, and the developing roller 84 is rotationally driven.

In this embodiment, the revolver output gear 79 driven by the revolver drive motor 77 including the stepping motor described above is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow B in the figure as shown in FIG. 5 (a). By rotating the revolver developing unit in the direction of arrow C, the developing device positioned at the developing position is switched, and the revolver developing unit is positioned in the concave portion 65 formed at a predetermined position on the peripheral surface of the rear end wall 51 of the revolver developing unit. Insert the rollers 66 and fit them together.
Positioning of the revolver development unit. However, due to variations in the revolver drive motor and variations in the load on the revolver development unit side, the rotation angle of the revolver development unit may be a desired rotation angle (for example, when one upstream developing device in the rotation direction is moved to the development position). Is 9
If it is less than 0 degree, the positioning roller 66 is not completely fitted in the corresponding concave portion 65 and accurate positioning cannot be performed, and the distance between the developing roller 84 and the photosensitive drum 1 is different from the desired distance. To relax. (Hereafter, margin)

Therefore, the rotation control of the revolver drive motor 77 is controlled to correspond to an angle slightly larger than the desired angle (for example, an angle about 3 degrees larger) in consideration of the above variation so that the rotation of the desired angle can be surely performed. Do with values.
As a result of controlling the rotation with such a control value, the rotation moment given to the revolver developing unit by starting the driving of the developing drive motor so that the revolver developing unit can be accurately positioned even if the revolver developing unit actually rotates beyond the desired angle. Use for accurate positioning. That is, FIG.
As shown in (a), the rotation of the development output gear 81 meshing with the development input gear 95 of the developing device in the development position in the direction of arrow A in the figure (the rotation in the direction of normal development drive) causes white in the figure. A rotational moment in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the normal revolver developing unit indicated by the withdrawal arrow D is applied to the unit so that the unit can be returned, and
The bracket 64 to which the positioning roller 66 is attached is fixed to the rotation in the returning direction so that the return of the unit is stopped when the positioning roller 66 is fitted into the corresponding recess 65 to lock the rotation of the revolver unit. The position of the positioning pin 63, which is the bracket support shaft, and the contact position with respect to the revolver developing unit are determined so as to function as a counter. Further, in order to reduce the load on the drive system when the revolver developing unit rotates beyond the desired angle and exits the recess 65 that has once entered by the rotation control based on the control value, as shown in FIG. It is desirable that the inclination of the recessed portion 65a when the positioning is performed during normal rotation is gentler than that of the locking recessed portion 65a to facilitate the removal.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the front and rear end wall portions that support the developing roller 84Y and the doctor blade 85Y are separated from other front and rear end wall portions as shown in the yellow developing device, for example. It is configured on the end wall portion 104. As a result, when cleaning the interior of the developing chamber or replacing parts,
The developing roller 84Y and the doctor blade 85Y are removed together with the small end wall portion 104 so that the developing chamber can be easily accessed.

By the way, in the developing device having the above structure,
Since the central shaft 52 of the developing device unit 40 supported by the central shaft insertion hole 54 of the main body rear side plate 53 and the central shaft holder 52a has some play or deflection, the revolver developing unit for switching the developing device is started or stopped. Sometimes
Due to the driving force from the revolver output gear 78 that suddenly starts to act on the revolver input gear 79, a force that causes the drive unit side of the unit to approach the photosensitive drum 1 side is generated, and the developing gap tends to be momentarily narrowed. is there. The developer on the rotating developing roller 84 moves to the developing gap thus narrowed, and as shown by the symbol E in FIG. An extension portion (hereinafter, referred to as "developer reservoir") in which an area where the developer exists extends toward the photoconductor drum 1 side is generated. Here, the movement of the developer in the developer pool is not completely stopped, and the developer pool is formed in a state where the developer pool is moving in accordance with the rotation of the developing roller 84 and the rotation of the revolver developing unit. There is. And the developing roller 8
The centrifugal force acting on the magnetic carrier in the developer pool due to the rotation of No. 4 and the rotation of the revolver developing unit is generated by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic poles P1 and P2 which are magnetic field generating means in the developing roller 84 (to the developing roller 84 side). The magnetic carrier in the developer pool may rub against the surface of the photoconductor drum 1 to cause the magnetic carrier to adhere to the surface of the photoconductor drum 1.

Therefore, in the developing device according to the present embodiment,
The rotational speed of the developing roller 84 is lowered and the developing device used for the next image forming is moved to a predetermined developing position until the revolver developing unit is activated after the image formation using the developing device at the developing position is completed. After the setting, the developing drive motor 80 is controlled by a control unit (not shown) so that the rotation speed of the developing roller 84 is returned to the original rotation speed at the time of image formation. For example, the linear velocity of the developing roller 84 is Vs (mm /
s), when the linear velocity of the photosensitive drum 1 is Vp (mm / s), the linear velocity ratio Vs / Vp = 1.69 during image formation is set to 0.
It is controlled so that it is lowered to 9 or less.

As described above, according to the developing device of the present embodiment, the developing drive motor 80 is used so that the rotation speed of the developing roller 84 at the time of starting and stopping the drive of the revolver developing unit becomes lower than that at the time of image formation. By controlling, the centrifugal force acting on the magnetic carrier existing between the developing roller 84 and the photosensitive drum 1 becomes smaller than the force of pulling the magnetic carrier to the developing roller 84 side and carrying it, so that the revolver developing unit. Even if the developing gap is momentarily narrowed at the time of starting and stopping the driving, and the developer pool is generated, the magnetic carrier in the developer pool is prevented from moving to the photosensitive drum 1 side by the centrifugal force and adhering thereto. it can.

In the above embodiment, the rotation speed of the developing roller 84 is controlled to prevent carrier adhesion to the photosensitive drum 1 when the revolver developing unit is started and stopped. It may be configured so that the carrier adhesion is prevented in advance by preventing the fluctuation of the developing gap itself, which causes accumulation, from occurring.

In the rotation driving example of the revolver developing unit in FIG. 8, the revolver rotation time from the start to the stop of the revolver developing unit is set so as not to cause the fluctuation of the developing gap which causes the developer pool. .
In addition, in order to shorten the printing time as much as possible, the rotation time of the revolver is set as short as possible within the range where the development gap that causes the above-mentioned developer accumulation does not occur, and the rotation speed profile within the revolver rotation time is determined. ing. In FIG. 8, the developing gap was narrowed when the revolver developing unit had a rotation time of 0.4 seconds as shown by the rotational speed profile of the reference symbol F, but as shown by the rotational speed profile of symbol G. When it was extended to about 0.7 seconds, the fluctuation of the developing gap disappeared.

FIG. 9 shows the experimental results of examining the relationship between the rotation time of the revolver developing unit and the developing gap when the unit is started and stopped. From the figure, it can be seen that the developing gap hardly changes when the rotation time of the revolver developing unit becomes 0.7 seconds or more.

Further, in FIG. 8, focusing on the moving acceleration at the time of starting and stopping the revolver developing unit, the following results can be obtained. That is,
As shown in the rotational speed profile according to the comparative example indicated by reference sign F in FIG. 8, the absolute values of the acceleration rate and the deceleration rate in the acceleration region and the deceleration region of the revolver developing unit, which are parameters corresponding to the above-described movement acceleration, are 9470 pps / sec. The development gap sometimes narrowed, but as shown by the rotational speed profile G, the development gap disappeared when the development gap was reduced to about 2000 pps / sec.

FIG. 10 shows the experimental results for examining the relationship between the absolute values of the acceleration rate and the deceleration rate in the acceleration region and the deceleration region of the revolver developing unit and the developing gap when the unit is started and stopped. . From the figure, the absolute values of the acceleration and deceleration rates of the revolver developing unit are 2250p.
It can be seen that the development gap scarcely fluctuates at ps / sec or less.

Various setting conditions when the experimental results shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 are obtained are as follows. (1) Diameter of developing roller 84 = Φ25.4 mm, 5 poles (P1 to P5) fixed magnet roll built-in (see FIG. 7) P1 magnetic force = 1100 gauss P1 pole angle θ (see FIG. 7) = 7 degrees (2) Diameter of photoconductor drum 1 = Φ80 mm (3) Developing roller 84 (Vs) and photoconductor drum 1 (V
p) linear velocity ratio (Vs / Vp) = 1.67 (during normal development) (4) Development gap = 0.57 mm (during normal development) (5) Doctor gap = 0.3 mm (6) Two-component development Agent (50 μm ferrite carrier,
7 μm toner) (7) Revolver developing unit diameter = Φ150 mm

In the above embodiment, the rotary developing device in which the four developing devices are rotated around the central axis to switch the developing devices used for development has been described. However, in the present invention, the developing devices may be moved in parallel. The present invention can also be applied to a developing device that adopts another mode of movement when switching to another developing device. Further, the present invention is not limited to the one having four developing devices as in the above-described embodiment, but may be, for example, one to three.
It is also applicable to a developing device having one developing device or five or more developing devices.

[0038]

According to the invention of claim 1, the developer carrying member driving means is controlled when the developing device is moved so that the developer on the developer carrying member moves along with the movement of the developing device. By setting the rotation speed of the developer carrier when it is in contact with or close to the developer to a predetermined speed, centrifugal force acting on the developer existing between the developer carrier and the image carrier is applied to the developer. Is smaller than the magnetic force attracting to the developer carrier side, and the development gap is momentarily narrowed at the start and stop of the movement of the developing device so that the area where the developer is formed in the development gap is located on the image carrier side. Even if the developer is extended, the developer trying to move in the extending portion of the existing region on the image carrier side is prevented from moving to the image carrier side by the centrifugal force. Therefore, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent the developer in the extending portion from adhering to the surface of the image carrier when the developing device starts to move and stops moving.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the acceleration at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device is set to a predetermined acceleration, and the developer carrying member is set at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device. The gap between the image carrier and the image carrier is momentarily narrowed so that the area where the developer formed in the gap does not extend to the image carrier side. There is an effect that it can be prevented from adhering to the surface of the image carrier.

Particularly, according to the third aspect of the invention, the gap between the developer carrying member and the image carrying member is momentarily narrowed at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device, so that the developer is formed in the gap. Based on the maximum value of the acceleration of the developing device set within the range in which the existence area of the developing device does not extend to the image carrier side, the moving speed of the developing device during movement is minimized so as to minimize the moving time of the developing device. By determining the time change profile, in addition to the effect of claim 2, there is an effect that the moving time of the developing device can be suppressed to a necessary minimum.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a rotary developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rotary developing device.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the rotary developing device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG.

FIG. 5A is a front perspective view showing a drive system of the rotary developing device. (B) is explanatory drawing of the positioning mechanism of the revolver developing unit of the same rotary type developing device.

FIG. 6A is a plan view of a drive motor unit of the rotary developing device. (B) is a front view of the drive motor section.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of various setting conditions in one developing device of the rotary developing device.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a rotation speed profile of a revolver developing unit in a rotary developing device according to a modification.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between the rotation time of the revolver developing unit and the developing gap when the unit is started and stopped.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the absolute value of acceleration in the acceleration region and deceleration region of the revolver developing unit and the development gap when the unit is started and stopped.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 photoconductor drum 4 Rotating developing device 40 developer unit 41 Black toner container 42 Yellow toner container 43 Magenta Toner Container 44 Cyan toner container 45 Toner container unit 61 Toner supply roller drive motor 77 Revolver rotation motor 80 Development drive motor

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-7-152242 (JP, A) JP-A-7-64365 (JP, A) JP-A-7-5742 (JP, A) JP-A-60-260073 (JP , A) (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/01-15/01 117 G03G 15/08-15/095

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of developing devices having a developer carrying member, and a developing device at a developing position facing the image carrying member of the plurality of developing devices are moved out of the developing position and out of the developing position. In a developing device including a developing device moving means for moving a certain developing device to the developing position and a developer carrying member driving means for rotationally driving the developer carrying member, the developing device The rotation speed of the developer carrier when the developer on the developer carrier is in contact with or in close proximity to the image carrier is the developer existing between the developer carrier and the image carrier. A control means for controlling the developer carrying member driving means is provided so that the centrifugal force acting on the developer is set to a rotational speed smaller than the force of pulling and carrying the developer toward the developer carrying member. Characteristic developing device. 2. A plurality of developing devices having a developer carrying member, and a developing device at a developing position facing the image carrying member of the plurality of developing devices are moved to the outside of the developing position, and outside the developing position. In a developing device equipped with a developing device moving means for moving a certain developing device to the developing position, and a developer carrying member driving means for rotationally driving the developer carrying member, at the time of starting and moving the developing device. The acceleration at the time of the stop is adjusted so that the gap between the developer carrying member and the image carrying member is momentarily narrowed at the start and stop of the movement of the developing device, and the developer existing region formed in the gap becomes an image. A developing device, which is set so as not to extend to the side of the carrier. 3. The developing device according to claim 2, wherein an absolute value of acceleration at the time of starting and stopping the movement of the developing device is used as a developer carrier and an image carrier at the time of starting and stopping the motion of the developing device. Is set to a maximum value within a range in which the area where the developer and the developer existing in the gap are momentarily narrowed does not extend to the image carrier side, and based on the maximum value of the acceleration, A developing device, wherein a time change profile of a moving speed when the developing device is moved is determined so that the moving time is minimized.