JP4936905B2 - Process cartridge and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is a copying machine, a facsimile, a process cartridge used in an image formation by an electrostatic copying process, such as printers, also relates to an image forming apparatus using the process cartridge.

In response to the recent demands for miniaturization, high speed, and low cost of electrostatic copying machines and laser beam printers, development of small, inexpensive, and high-speed full-color laser printers for small offices, home offices, and personal use has been active. It is.
In response to these trends, tandem development and intermediate transfer systems are becoming the mainstream for full-color laser printers. However, the size of each company's integrated process cartridge has been reduced, and the arrangement and layout of the cartridge in the machine has been improved. I'm trying to make it smaller.
As a method for reducing the size of the process cartridge, there is a configuration example in which a photosensitive member as an image carrier, a developing device for forming a toner image, and a toner hopper, a cleaning mechanism, and a transfer residual toner collecting unit are all integrated. Machines for arranging integrated process cartridges of various companies are on the market.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a configuration of a developing device and a photoreceptor in a conventional process cartridge. As shown in FIG. 8, the developing roller comes into contact with the photosensitive member and bites into it to form a nip, thereby obtaining a stable developability and forming a toner image. For this purpose, the developing roller is provided with an elastic member such as rubber. On the other hand, the developing device is provided with a supply roller for supplying toner to the developing roller, and attaches the toner to the developing roller and removes excess toner. In general, the toner image is formed by bringing the developing roller into contact with the photosensitive member, and the distance between the axes is generally fixed. In such a fixed distance between shafts, the variation in the distance between the shafts caused by the variation in tolerance greatly affects the torque, and may cause an abnormality of the drive system such as step-out. In order to avoid these problems, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a contact pressure setting method for setting a contact pressure between contact members of an image forming apparatus, in which a film member is inserted between the contact members and the film member is pulled out. A contact pressure setting method is disclosed in which the contact pressure is set so that the pull-out force is within a predetermined range.

  FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration for restricting the amount of biting between the conventional developing roller and the photosensitive member. By providing the regulating member 55 and the elastic member 56 that presses the developing roller 52 against the photosensitive member 2, a certain amount of biting is obtained. For example, when the outer diameter of the developing roller is φ18 mm and the outer diameter of the regulating member is φ17.8 mm, if the pressure is applied until the outer diameter of the regulating member hits the drum, the biting amount of the developing roller can be ½ of the outer diameter difference. Of 0.1 mm. When this restricting member is used, tolerances such as face plates are deleted, so that accuracy is high and torque fluctuations can be reduced.

JP 2006-48018 A

However, all of these have problems that the developing roller bites away due to sudden vibration or impact, resulting in a partially white image or density difference.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge that obtains stable biting of the developing roller with respect to the photosensitive member, and an image forming apparatus using the process cartridge.

The features of the present invention, which is a means for solving the above problems, are listed below.
A process cartridge according to the present invention includes an image carrier and a developing device that are integrally supported , and is a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus. The developing device includes a developing roller and a side plate that includes a bearing. A regulating member that regulates the amount of the developing roller that bites into the image carrier is disposed on a face plate that fixes the carrier and the developing device, and the regulating member has a protrusion that is pressed by a first elastic member, A developing roller is incorporated into the side plate by being inserted into the bearing pressed by a second elastic member, the developing roller is pressed against the image carrier, and the protrusion is the bearing. The amount of biting of the developing roller with respect to the image carrier is fixed by being inserted into the image carrier .
Further, the process cartridge of the present invention, the first and second elastic member is characterized by a compression spring or sponge material.
The process cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that a smooth inclination is provided in the fitting portion of the protrusion .
The process cartridge according to the present invention is characterized in that the developing roller deletes a member to be pressed against the image carrier.
Further, the process cartridge of the present invention, the pressure of the impact force to affix the developing roller, characterized in that it has a sufficient enough pressure regulations amount with brewing the food.
The process cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that a protrusion for fixing the biting of the developing roller is provided integrally with a face plate for fixing the developing device and the image carrier.
The process cartridge according to the present invention is characterized in that the developing roller deletes a member to be pressed against the image carrier.
Further, the process cartridge of the present invention, pressure protrusions for fixing the developing roller, characterized in that it has a sufficient enough pressure regulations amount with brewing the food.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus including an image bearing member for forming a latent image, and a developing device for forming a toner image by developing the latent image with toner, said one of the process cartridge It is characterized by having mounted.

As described above, in the process cartridge of the present invention, the protrusion and the elastic member are provided on the face plate, the protrusion tip is inserted into the developing roller bearing, and the protrusion tip is inclined, so that it is determined by the biting amount regulating member. It can correspond to the position of the developing roller bearing in the position. As a result, the margin for the escape (decrease in biting) of the developing roller can be increased.
In addition, by mounting the process cartridge using these inventions in the image forming apparatus, the developing roller does not escape due to sudden impacts, etc., so abnormal images (partial white spots, streaky unevenness images, density differences) ) Can be suppressed.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Hereinafter, as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied, an embodiment of an electrophotographic printer (hereinafter simply referred to as a printer) will be described. First, the basic configuration of the printer will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the printer. In the figure, this printer includes four process cartridges 1Y, M, C, and K for forming toner images of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black (hereinafter referred to as Y, M, C, and K). Yes. These use different colors of Y, M, C, and K toners as the developer, but otherwise have the same configuration and are replaced when the lifetime is reached.

As shown in FIG. 1, a process cartridge 1 for forming a toner image includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 2 as an image carrier, a photosensitive member cleaning device 3, a charge eliminating device (not shown), a charging roller 4, and a developing device 5. Etc. The process cartridge 1 can be attached to and detached from the printer body so that consumable parts can be replaced at a time.
The photosensitive member 2 is rotationally driven at a linear speed of 150 [mm / sec] in the clockwise direction in the drawing by a driving unit (not shown). A high voltage is applied to the charging roller 4 by a high voltage power supply circuit (not shown). At the facing portion between the rotating photoconductor 2 and the charging roller 4, discharge is performed from the charging roller 4 toward the photoconductor 2. By this discharge, the surface of the photoreceptor 2 is uniformly charged to −500 [V]. Then, it is exposed and scanned by the light beam L to carry an electrostatic latent image for K.

The electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by the developing device 5. Then, intermediate transfer is performed on an intermediate transfer belt 16 described later. The photoconductor cleaning device 3 slides a cleaning brush or a cleaning blade on the surface of the photoconductor 2 to remove transfer residual toner attached to the surface of the photoconductor 2 after the intermediate transfer process. The static eliminator neutralizes residual charges on the photoreceptor 2 after cleaning. By this charge removal, the surface of the photoreceptor 2 is initialized and prepared for the next image formation. Similarly, in the process cartridges (1Y, M, C) of other colors, (Y, M, C) toner images are formed on the photoreceptors (2Y, M, C) in the same manner, and the intermediate transfer belt 16 described later is formed. Intermediate transfer.
In FIG. 1 described above, an optical writing unit 70 is disposed above the process cartridges 1Y, M, C, and K in the vertical direction. The optical writing unit 70, which is a latent image writing device, uses a light beam L emitted from a laser diode or an LED diode based on image information, and the photoreceptors 2Y, M, C, K in the process cartridges 1Y, M, C, K. Is optically scanned. By this optical scanning, electrostatic latent images for Y, M, C, and K are formed on the photoreceptors 2Y, M, C, and K. The optical writing unit 70 is a photosensitive member that passes through a plurality of optical lenses and mirrors while polarizing a light beam (L) emitted from a light source in a main scanning direction by a polygon mirror that is rotationally driven by a polygon motor (not shown). Is irradiated.

Below the process cartridges 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K, there is disposed a transfer unit 15 that moves the endless intermediate transfer belt 16 endlessly in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. In addition to the intermediate transfer belt 16, the transfer unit 15 serving as transfer means includes a driving roller 17, a driven roller 18, four primary transfer rollers 19Y, 19M, 19C, 19K, a secondary transfer roller 20, a belt cleaning device 21, a cleaning device. A backup roller 22 is provided. The intermediate transfer belt 16 is stretched by a driving roller 17, a driven roller 18, a cleaning backup roller 22 and four primary transfer rollers 19Y, 19M, 19C, and 19K disposed inside the loop. Then, it is moved endlessly in the same direction by the rotational force of the driving roller 17 that is driven to rotate counterclockwise in the figure by a driving means (not shown).
The four primary transfer rollers 19Y, 19M, 19C, and 19K sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 16 that is moved endlessly in this manner between the photoreceptors 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K. By this sandwiching, primary transfer nips for Y, M, C, and K where the front surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 and the photoreceptors 2Y, M, C, and K abut are formed.

A primary transfer bias is applied to each of the primary transfer rollers 19Y, 19M, 19C, and 19K by a transfer bias power source (not shown), whereby the electrostatic latent images on the photoreceptors 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K, A transfer electric field is formed between the primary transfer rollers 19Y, 19M, 19C, and 19K. Instead of the primary transfer rollers 19Y, 19M, 19C, and 19K, a transfer charger, a transfer brush, or the like may be employed. When Y toner formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2Y of the process cartridge 1Y for Y enters the above-described primary transfer nip for Y as the photoreceptor 2Y rotates, the photosensitive toner is exposed to the effect of the transfer electric field and nip pressure. Primary transfer is performed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 from the body 2Y. The intermediate transfer belt 16 on which the Y toner image is primarily transferred in this way passes through the primary transfer nips for M, C, and K along with the endless movement thereof, and the photoreceptors 2M, C, and K. The upper M, C, and K toner images are sequentially superimposed on the Y toner image and primarily transferred. A four-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the primary transfer of superposition.
While the secondary transfer roller 20 of the transfer unit 15 is disposed outside the loop of the intermediate transfer belt 16, the intermediate transfer belt 16 is sandwiched between the secondary transfer roller 20 and the driven roller 18 inside the loop. By this sandwiching, a secondary transfer nip where the front surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 and the secondary transfer roller 20 abut is formed. A secondary transfer bias is applied to the secondary transfer roller 20 by a transfer bias power source (not shown). By this application, a secondary transfer electric field is formed between the secondary transfer roller 20 and the driven roller connected to the ground.

  Below the transfer unit 15, a paper feed cassette 30 that stores a plurality of recording sheets P in a bundle of sheets is slidably attached to the printer housing. In the paper feed cassette 30, a paper feed roller 30a is brought into contact with the top recording paper P of the paper bundle, and the recording paper is rotated by rotating it in a counterclockwise direction in the drawing at a predetermined timing. P is sent out toward the paper feed path 31. A registration roller pair 32 is disposed near the end of the paper feed path 31. The registration roller pair 32 stops the rotation of both rollers as soon as the recording paper P delivered from the paper feed cassette 30 is sandwiched between the rollers. Then, rotation driving is resumed at a timing at which the sandwiched recording paper P can be synchronized with the four-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 in the above-described secondary transfer nip, and the recording paper P is directed to the secondary transfer nip. Send it out.

The four-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 brought into close contact with the recording paper P at the secondary transfer nip is secondarily transferred onto the recording paper P under the influence of the secondary transfer electric field and the nip pressure. Combined with the white color of P, a full color toner image is obtained. The recording paper P having the full-color toner image formed on the surface in this manner is separated from the secondary transfer roller 20 and the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the curvature when passing through the secondary transfer nip. Then, the toner is fed into a fixing device 34 described later via a post-transfer conveyance path 33.
The transfer residual toner that has not been transferred to the recording paper P adheres to the intermediate transfer belt 16 after passing through the secondary transfer nip. This is cleaned from the belt surface by a belt cleaning device 21 in contact with the front surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16. The cleaning backup roller 22 disposed inside the loop of the intermediate transfer belt 16 backs up the cleaning of the belt by the belt cleaning device 21 from the inside of the loop.

  The fixing device 34 forms a fixing nip by a fixing roller 34a containing a heat source such as a halogen lamp (not shown) and a pressure roller 34b that rotates while contacting the fixing roller 34a with a predetermined pressure. The recording paper P fed into the fixing device 34 is sandwiched between the fixing nips such that the unfixed toner image carrying surface is brought into close contact with the fixing roller 34a. Then, the toner in the toner image is softened by the influence of heating and pressurization, and the full color image is fixed. The recording paper P discharged from the fixing device 34 passes through the post-fixing conveyance path 35 and then reaches the branch point between the paper discharge path 36 and the pre-reversal conveyance path 41. On the side of the post-fixing conveyance path 35, a switching claw 42 that is rotationally driven around a rotation shaft 42a is disposed. By the rotation, the vicinity of the end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35 is closed. Or open it. At the timing when the recording paper P is sent out from the fixing device 34, the switching claw 42 stops at the rotational position indicated by the solid line in the drawing, and the vicinity of the end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35 is opened. Therefore, the recording paper P enters the paper discharge path 36 from the conveyance path 35 after fixing, and is sandwiched between the rollers of the paper discharge roller pair 37.

When the single-sided print mode is set by an input operation to an operation unit including a numeric keypad (not shown) or a control signal sent from a personal computer (not shown), the recording sandwiched between the paper discharge roller pair 37 is performed. The paper P is discharged out of the machine as it is. Then, the stack in the stack portion, which is the upper surface of the top cover of the housing.
On the other hand, when the duplex printing mode is set, the trailing edge of the recording paper P conveyed through the paper discharge path 36 while the front end is sandwiched between the paper discharge roller pair 37 passes through the post-fixing conveyance path 35. The switching claw 42 is rotated to the position of the one-dot chain line in the drawing, and the vicinity of the end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35 is closed. At substantially the same time, the paper discharge roller pair 37 starts to rotate in the reverse direction. Then, the recording paper P is conveyed while the rear end side is directed to the top, and enters the pre-reversal conveyance path 41.

  The right end portion of the printer is a reversing unit 40 that can be opened and closed with respect to the housing body by rotating about a rotating shaft 40a. When the paper discharge roller pair 37 rotates in the reverse direction, the recording paper P enters the pre-reversal conveyance path 41 of the reversing unit 40 and is conveyed from the upper side to the lower side in the vertical direction. Then, after passing between the rollers of the pair of reverse conveying rollers 43, it enters the reverse conveying path 44 that is curved in a semicircular shape. Furthermore, while the upper and lower surfaces are reversed as the sheet is conveyed along the curved shape, the traveling direction from the upper side in the vertical direction to the lower side is also reversed, and conveyed from the lower side in the vertical direction toward the upper side. Is done. Thereafter, the toner enters the secondary transfer nip again through the above-described paper feed path 31. Then, after the full color image is collectively transferred to the other surface, the post-transfer conveyance path 33, the fixing device 34, the post-fixation conveyance path 35, the paper discharge path 36, and the paper discharge roller pair 37 are sequentially passed. And discharged outside the machine.

  The reversing unit 40 described above has an external cover 45 and a rocking body 46. Specifically, the external cover 45 of the reversing unit 40 is supported so as to rotate about a rotation shaft 40a provided in the housing of the printer main body. By this rotation, the outer cover 45 opens and closes with respect to the housing together with the swinging body 46 held therein. As shown by the dotted line in the figure, when the outer cover 45 is opened together with the swinging body 46 therein, the paper feed path 31 formed between the reversing unit 40 and the printer body side, the secondary transfer nip, and after the transfer. The conveyance path 33, the fixing nip, the post-fixing conveyance path 35, and the paper discharge path 36 are vertically divided into two and exposed to the outside. Thereby, jammed paper in the paper feed path 31, the secondary transfer nip, the post-transfer conveyance path 33, the fixing nip, the post-fixation conveyance path 35, and the paper discharge path 36 can be easily removed.

  The swing body 46 is supported by the external cover 45 so as to rotate about a swing shaft (not shown) provided in the external cover 45 in a state where the external cover 45 is opened. When the swinging body 46 is opened with respect to the external cover 45 by this rotation, the pre-reversal transport path 41 and the reverse transport path 44 are vertically divided into two and exposed to the outside. As a result, the jammed paper in the pre-reversal conveyance path 41 and the reversal conveyance path 44 can be easily removed.

  A method of forming and superimposing toner images by a plurality of process cartridges 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K arranged in a straight line as in this printer is called a tandem method. In a tandem printer, the overall size of the apparatus tends to increase in the direction in which the process cartridges 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K are arranged. Therefore, in this printer, even in the process cartridges 1Y, C, M, and K, the space in the unit arrangement direction can be expanded by making the hopper portion taking a particularly large space long in the direction orthogonal to the unit arrangement direction. Is suppressed.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the configuration of the process cartridge of the present invention. The developing device 5 includes an agitator 8 in which a developing roller 51 is disposed in an opening provided in a lower portion of a vertically long hopper portion 6 that accommodates toner (not shown), a supply roller 52 is disposed around the opening, and the toner is stirred at an upper portion. ing.
The toner is agitated by Ajite motor 8 in the hopper within 6, while fluidity is enhanced it is mixed with air, to move under its own weight near the supply roller 52.
The supply roller 52 as a developer supply body and the toner are deposited on the supply roller 52. The supply roller 52 is rotationally driven in a counterclockwise direction in the figure by a driving unit (not shown).
In the vicinity of the supply roller 52, a developing roller 51 as a developer carrying member is disposed. The developing roller 51 is rotationally driven in a counterclockwise direction in the figure by a driving unit (not shown) while being in contact with the supply roller 52 and the photosensitive member 2.
A developing bias described later is applied to the developing roller 51 by a power supply circuit (not shown). On the other hand, a supply bias is applied to the supply roller 52 by a power supply circuit (not shown). The relationship between the developing bias and the supply bias is a relationship that forms an electric field capable of electrostatically moving the negatively charged toner from the supply roller 52 side toward the developing roller 51 side. However, the direction of the electric field is not limited to this, and may be reversed depending on the type of toner, or may be the zero direction in which the toner is not electrostatically moved between the rollers.

The toner deposited on the supply roller 52 is carried on the surface of the supply roller 52. Then, as the supply roller 52 rotates, it is transported to the contact portion between the supply roller 52 and the developing roller 51 and is transferred to the surface of the developing roller 51 due to the influence of the electric field and the pressure at the contact portion. . The toner carried on the surface of the developing roller 51 by this shift moves with the rotation of the developing roller 51 and passes through the contact portion between the developing roller 51 and the thinning blade 53.
A charging facilitating bias is applied to the thinning blade 53 by a power supply circuit (not shown). The relationship between the charging facilitating bias and the developing bias described above is a relationship that forms an electric field capable of electrostatically moving the negatively chargeable toner from the blade side toward the developing roller 51 side. The toner that has entered the contact portion between the developing roller 51 and the thinning blade 53 is rubbed against the thinning blade 53 as the roller rotates while being pressed against the developing roller 51 by this electric field. , Frictional charging is promoted. At the same time, the layer thickness on the developing roller 51 is regulated.

  The toner that has passed through the contact portion between the developing roller 51 and the thinning blade 53 as a regulating member is conveyed to the developing nip where the developing roller 51 and the photosensitive member 2 are in contact with the rotation of the developing roller 51. . The potential of the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 2, the potential of the background portion of the photosensitive member 2 (uniform charging potential), and the developing bias have the following relationship. That is, the toner existing between the electrostatic latent image and the developing roller 51 in the developing nip is electrostatically moved from the developing roller 51 side toward the electrostatic latent image side, while the background portion and the developing roller 51 This is a relationship for forming an electric field capable of electrostatically moving the toner existing between the background portion side and the developing roller 51 side. Due to such a relationship, the toner on the surface of the developing roller 51 is selectively transferred to the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 2 in the developing nip. By this dislocation, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image.

The surface of the supply roller 52 has a hole (cell) structure and is made of a foam material whose electric resistance value is adjusted to 10 ³ to 10 ¹⁵ [Ω]. By taking toner into the holes, Increase toner transfer efficiency. Further, the holes also exhibit a function of suppressing toner deterioration due to pressure concentration at the contact portion with the developing roller 51. Furthermore, it is desirable to form an uneven groove on the surface of the supply roller 52.
On the surface of the developing roller 51, a surface layer made of an elastic rubber that exhibits frictional charging characteristics having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is formed. In many cases, the surface layer has a JIS-A hardness adjusted to 50 [°] or less and a surface roughness Ra adjusted to 0.2 to 2.0 [μm]. It is desirable to be in the range of 1.2. Due to the surface layer having such characteristics, a toner image having a uniform thickness is formed on the surface of the developing roller 51.
The thinning blade 53 is a thin blade made of a metal such as SUS304CSP, SUS301CSP, or phosphor bronze, and is pressed toward the developing roller 51 with a pressing force of 10 to 100 [N / m].

  The casing of the developing device 5 cantilever-supports the sealing film 13, and the free end side of the sealing film 13 is in contact with the developing roller 51. By the sealing film 13 and the above-described thinning blade 53, the space in which the developing roller 51 is accommodated and the developing device 5 are partitioned, and leakage of toner from the developing device 5 is prevented.

  In the printer, toner having the following characteristics is accommodated in the hopper unit 6. That is, it consists of a plurality of toner particles containing wax, the toner particles have a volume average particle size of 6 to 10 [μm], and the measurement result of the maximum tensile force by the Hosokawa Micron AG robot is 0.55. Non-magnetic toner less than [N]. By using toner composed of toner particles containing wax, it is possible to achieve oilless and low-temperature heating fixing. In addition, the present inventors have found through experiments that the toner aggregation within the gap tends to be rapidly formed when the measurement result of the maximum tensile force of the toner is 0.55 [N] or more. Therefore, by using the toner whose maximum tensile force measurement result is less than 0.55 [N], it is possible to more reliably suppress the formation of toner agglomerates in the gap.

  Although the configuration of the developing device 5 for K has been described with reference to FIG. 2, the developing devices for Y, C, and M have the same configuration. Up to this point, a printer that forms toner images of other colors using a plurality of process cartridges has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to an image forming apparatus that includes only one photoconductor.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the configuration of the developing device used in the process cartridge of the present invention.
The developing roller 51 is inserted into a bearing 55 pressurized by an elastic member 56 and is incorporated in the side plate 54 of the developing device 5. Further, the process cartridge face plate 59 is fixed together with the drum shaft of the photosensitive member 1. The process cartridge face plate 59 incorporates a portion 59a for restricting the amount of biting between the developing roller 51 and the photosensitive member 1, and is further pressurized by a spring as the elastic member 56, so that the photosensitive member is normally used. The amount of biting with 1 is kept constant.
However, the pressure applied by the spring 56 may escape due to a sudden impact such as vibration during driving, and the amount of biting may be reduced. For this reason, the protrusion 57 and the elastic member 58 are fitted to the face plate 59, and the tip of the protrusion 57 is inserted into the bearing 55 of the developing roller 51. Since the tip of the protrusion 57 is inclined, it can correspond to the position of the bearing 55 of the developing roller 51 at the position determined by the biting amount regulating portion 59a. When the biting of the developing roller 51 tries to escape due to a sudden impact, it is necessary to overcome the pressing force of the protrusion 57, and the release direction of the protrusion 57 is perpendicular to the direction of escape of the developing roller 51. A large margin can be given to the bite reduction.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the protrusions. When the positions of the developing roller 51 and the bearing 55 defined by the restricting portion 59a and the hole position as the restricting portion 59a of the face plate 59 into which the protrusion 57 is fitted are aligned, the protrusion 57 enters into the back, and the position shifts. When it is large, it stops in the middle of the tip of the protrusion 57. When the deviation is large and the angle of the inclined protrusion is large, the hole position is not smoothly followed, so that it may feel heavy at the time of assembling or an improper assembling that may be fixed in the middle may occur. For this reason, the tip inclination of the protrusion 57 is made smooth and easy to assemble.

Further, in the present invention, the process cartridge 1 is such that the pressure spring as the elastic member 56 is omitted. In the state of the developing device 5, the position of the developing roller 51 is not determined. However, when the photosensitive member 1 and the face plate 59 are assembled as the process cartridge 1, the regulating member 59 a comes into contact with the photosensitive member 1 so that the developing roller 51 and the bearing 55 are positioned. And is fixed by inserting the protrusion 57 into the bearing 55. Thus, even if a sudden impact is generated by an inexpensive method, the purpose of preventing the position of the developing roller 51 from escaping can be achieved.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a process cartridge in which the protrusion is pressed by an elastic member such as a sponge. As shown in FIG. 6, the projection 57 is pressurized by an elastic member 58 such as a sponge. As a result, the margin can be increased with respect to the decrease in biting of the developing roller 51.
Further, the pressing force of the protrusion 57 is set to a sufficient pressing force against the restriction of the amount of biting and against the escape of the developing roller 51 due to a sudden impact. As a result, the position of the developing roller 51 determined by the restricting member 59a can be completely fixed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of the process cartridge in which the protrusion is provided integrally with the face plate. Further, since the pressure is applied using the spring property of the resin, the elastic member that presses the protrusion 57 is also omitted. Thereby, the escape of the developing roller 51 can be regulated by an inexpensive method. Further, the pressure spring 56 of the developing roller 51 can also be deleted. Thereby, even if a sudden impact is generated by an inexpensive method, the purpose of preventing the position of the developing roller 51 from escaping can be achieved.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of the process cartridge in which the protrusion is provided integrally with the face plate. The pressing force of the protrusion 57 provided integrally with the face plate 59 is set to a sufficient pressing force against the amount of biting and against the escape of the developing roller 51 due to a sudden impact. As a result, the position of the developing roller 51 determined by the restricting portion 59a can be completely fixed. As an example, as shown in FIG. 7, the notch length of the forming portion 59b forming the protrusion 57 is shortened to increase the pressure.

  Further, these process cartridges 1 are mounted on the image forming apparatus 100. As a result, the developing roller 51 does not escape due to a sudden impact or the like, so that it is possible to suppress the occurrence of abnormal images (partially white spots, streak unevenness images, density differences).

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating the printer. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the process cartridge of this invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a developing device used in the process cartridge of the present invention. It is the schematic which shows the structure of protrusion. It is a figure which shows the structure of the process cartridge which is performing pressurization of protrusion by elastic members, such as sponge. It is a figure which shows the structure of the process cartridge which has provided the protrusion integrally with the face plate. It is a figure which shows the structure of the process cartridge which has provided the protrusion integrally with the face plate. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the developing device and the photoreceptor in the conventional process cartridge. It is the schematic which shows the structure which controls the amount of biting between the conventional developing roller and a photoreceptor.

Explanation of symbols

1Y, M, C, K: Process cartridge 2Y, M, C, K: Photoconductor 3: Cleaning device 4: Charging device 5: Developing device 51: Developing roller 52: Supply roller 53: Restricting member 54: Side plate 55: Bearing 56, 58: Elastic member 57: Projection 59: Process cartridge face plate 59a: Restricted portion 59b: Forming part 16: Intermediate transfer belt 19: Transfer roller 30: Paper feed cassette 34: Fixing device 70: Optical writing unit 100: Image Forming equipment

Claims (9)

In a process cartridge that is integrally supported by an image carrier and a developing device and is detachable from an image forming apparatus,
The developing device has a developing roller and a side plate provided with a bearing,
A regulating member that regulates the amount of the developing roller that bites into the image bearing member is disposed on the face plate that fixes the image bearing member and the developing device, and the regulating member has a protrusion that is pressed by the first elastic member,
The developing roller is incorporated into the side plate by being inserted into the bearing pressed by a second elastic member, and the developing roller is pressed against the image carrier,
The process cartridge is characterized in that the amount of biting of the developing roller with respect to the image carrier is fixed by inserting the protrusion into the bearing . The process cartridge according to claim 1,
Process cartridge wherein the first and second elastic member, characterized in that a compression spring or sponge material. The process cartridge according to claim 1 or 2,
A process cartridge characterized in that a smooth inclination is provided in a fitting portion of the protrusion . The process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A process cartridge in which the developing roller has eliminated a member pressed against the image carrier. The process cartridge according to claim 4, wherein
Process cartridge wherein the impact force of the pressure developing roller to affix, characterized in that it has a sufficient enough pressure regulations amount with brewing the food. The process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A process cartridge characterized in that a protrusion for fixing biting of the developing roller is provided integrally with a face plate for fixing the developing device and the image carrier. The process cartridge according to claim 6,
A process cartridge in which the developing roller has eliminated a member pressed against the image carrier. The process cartridge according to claim 7, wherein
The process cartridge in which the pressure of the protrusion for fixing the developing roller, characterized in that it has a sufficient enough pressure regulations amount with brewing the food. An image carrier for forming a latent image;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a developing device that develops a latent image with toner to form a toner image ;
請 Motomeko 1 to the image forming apparatus characterized by mounting the process cartridge according to any one of 8.