JP4985329B2 - Developer transport member and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a developer conveying member and an image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, a developer feeding member is formed by connecting a powder developer delivery side and a developer receiving side by a developer transport pipe, and winding a wire in a spiral shape in the developer transport pipe. Developer that rotates and feeds the developer, and naturally drops and discharges the developer sent by the developer feeding member from the discharge port formed on the lower surface side of the tip of the developer transport pipe that connects to the developer receiving side In the developer transport device, there is known a developer transport device characterized in that the winding end portion of the developer feeding member is rotated in a state of being brought into pressure contact with the end surface of the end of the developer transport pipe (see FIG. Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-029514 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a developer conveying member and an image forming apparatus that can vibrate a vertical guide passage and prevent the developer from being deposited in the passage.

  The invention described in claim 1 is a developer conveying member for conveying the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating body to the developing device, wherein the developer conveying member causes the developer to move vertically. A vertical conveying section that conveys the developer in a vertical direction; and a vertical movement path that is provided in the vertical guiding path and is driven up and down in a vertical direction by a predetermined distance. A moving member, and an inner surface convex portion is provided on the inner surface of the vertical guide path so as to vibrate the entire vertical guide path by moving the vertical moving member. A developer carrying member.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the developer conveying member according to the first aspect, the vertical moving member has a coil shape, and the vertical guide passage is formed of a bellows-like elastic member.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image carrier that holds a developer image in which an electrostatic latent image is formed and the electrostatic latent image is developed with a developer, and an electrostatic that is formed on the image carrier. A developing device that develops a latent image with a developer, a developer container that contains a developer to be supplied to the developing device, and a developer that is contained in the developer container is conveyed to the developing device. A developer conveying member, and the developer conveying member has a vertical conveying unit that conveys the developer in the vertical direction, and the vertical conveying unit is a hollow vertical guide passage that guides the developer in the vertical direction. And a vertical moving member that is provided in the vertical guide passage and is moved up and down in a vertical direction by a predetermined distance, and the vertical guide is moved by moving the vertical moving member on the inner surface of the vertical guide passage. Inner surface convex portion that contacts the vertical movement member so that the entire passage vibrates It is provided an image forming apparatus according to claim.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer conveying member capable of preventing the developer from being accumulated in the passage by vibrating the vertical guide passage as compared with the case where this configuration is not provided. be able to.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the developer from accumulating in the passage due to an increase in the vibration of the vertical guide passage, as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided, and to store the developer. It is possible to provide a developer conveying member capable of conveying the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating body even when the distance between the image forming apparatus and the developing device changes.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the developer from being deposited in the vertical guide passage by vibrating the vertical guide passage as compared with the case where this configuration is not provided. Can do.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Embodiment]
1 to 6 are views showing an embodiment of a developer conveying device and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a tandem digital color printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a tandem type digital color copying machine as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of a tandem type digital color printer and copying machine. In the case of a digital color copying machine, as shown in FIG. An automatic document feeder (ADF) 3 that automatically conveys the documents one by one and a document reading device 4 that reads an image of the document 2 conveyed by the automatic document feeder 3 are provided. The document reader 4 illuminates a document 2 placed on a platen glass 5 with a light source 6, and reflects a reflected light image from the document 2 from a full-rate mirror 7, half-rate mirrors 8 and 9, and an imaging lens 10. The image reading element 11 composed of a CCD or the like is scanned and exposed through a reduction optical system, and the color material reflected light image of the document 2 is formed at a predetermined dot density (for example, 16 dots / mm) by the image reading element 11. It is supposed to read.

  The color material reflected light image of the document 2 read by the document reading device 4 is, for example, IPS (red (R), green (G), blue (B) (8 bits each) as document reflectance data of three colors. (Image Processing System) 12, and the IPS 12 performs predetermined corrections such as shading correction, position shift correction, brightness / color space conversion, gamma correction, frame deletion, color / moving editing, etc. on the reflectance data of the document 2. Image processing is performed. The IPS 12 also performs predetermined image processing on image data sent from a personal computer or the like.

  The image data that has been subjected to the predetermined image processing by the IPS 12 as described above is also four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) (each 8 bits) by the IPS 12. As described below, the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K for each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) are converted. The ROS (Raster Output Scanner) 14 is used, and the ROS 14 serving as the image exposure apparatus performs image exposure with the laser beam LB in accordance with document reproduction color material gradation data of a predetermined color.

  By the way, inside the tandem type digital color printer and the copying machine main body 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) are provided. The two image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K are arranged in parallel at regular intervals in the horizontal direction.

  These four image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K are all configured in the same manner, and are roughly divided into a photosensitive drum 15 as an image carrier that is rotationally driven at a predetermined speed, and the photosensitive drum. A charging roll 16 for primary charging that uniformly charges the surface of 15, and an ROS 14 as an image exposure device that forms an electrostatic latent image by exposing an image corresponding to a predetermined color on the surface of the photosensitive drum 15. And a developing device 17 that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 15 with toner (developer) of a predetermined color, and a cleaning device 18 that cleans the surface of the photosensitive drum 15. Yes.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ROS 14 is configured in common to the four image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K. The laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K are emitted from these semiconductor lasers according to the gradation data. Of course, the ROS 14 may be individually configured for each of a plurality of image forming units. The laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K emitted from the semiconductor laser are irradiated to the rotary polygon mirror 19 through an f-θ lens (not shown), and deflected by the rotary polygon mirror 19. Scanned. The laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K deflected and scanned by the rotary polygon mirror 19 are scanned obliquely from below on the photosensitive drum 15 through a plurality of reflection mirrors (not shown). Exposed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ROS 14 scans and exposes an image on the photosensitive drum 15 from below. Therefore, the ROS 14 includes four image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K located above. There is a possibility that the toner or the like may fall from the developing device 17 and be contaminated. Therefore, the periphery of the ROS 14 is hermetically sealed by a rectangular parallelepiped frame 20, and four laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K are placed on the upper portion of the frame 20, Transparent glass windows 21Y, 21M, 21C, and 21K as shield members are provided for exposure on the photosensitive drums 15 of the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K. And these glass-made windows 21Y, 21M, 21C, and 21K are members located on the uppermost side in the optical path along the laser beam LB of the ROS 14 as the image exposure apparatus.

  From the IPS 12, the image of each color is provided to the ROS 14 provided in common to the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). Data is sequentially output, and the laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K emitted from the ROS 14 in accordance with the image data are scanned and exposed on the surface of the corresponding photosensitive drums 15 to statically. An electrostatic latent image is formed. The electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive drum 15 are respectively developed in yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) colors by the developing devices 17Y, 17M, 17C, and 17K. It is developed as a toner image (developer image).

  The yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images sequentially formed on the photosensitive drums 15 of the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K are as follows. On the intermediate transfer belt 25 disposed over the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K, the images are transferred in multiple by the primary transfer roll 26. The intermediate transfer belt 25 is wound around the drive roll 27 and the backup roll 28 with a constant tension, and is driven by a drive roll 27 that is rotationally driven by a dedicated drive motor with excellent constant speed (not shown). The circuit is circulated at a predetermined speed in the direction of the arrow. As the intermediate transfer belt 25, for example, a flexible synthetic resin film such as PET is formed in a band shape, and both ends of the synthetic resin film formed in a band shape are connected by means such as welding, thereby endless A belt-shaped one is used.

  The yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 25 in a multiple manner are transferred to the backup roll 28 by a secondary transfer roll 29. The transfer sheet 30 that has been secondarily transferred onto the transfer sheet 30 by the pressure contact force and electrostatic force and onto which the toner images of these colors have been transferred is conveyed to a fixing device 31 positioned above. The secondary transfer roll 29 is in pressure contact with the side of the backup roll 28, and secondary-transfers each color toner image onto a transfer sheet 30 conveyed from below to above. The transfer paper 30 onto which the toner images of the respective colors have been transferred is subjected to a fixing process with heat and pressure by a fixing device 31 and then discharged onto a discharge tray 33 provided on the upper portion of the main body 1 by a discharge roll 32. The

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transfer sheet 30 has a predetermined size from a sheet feeding cassette 34, and is fed via a sheet conveying path 37 by a sheet feeding roller 35 and a pair of rollers 36 for separating and conveying sheets. Once conveyed to the registration roll 38, it is stopped. The transfer paper 30 supplied from the paper feed cassette 34 is sent to the secondary transfer position of the intermediate transfer belt 35 by a registration roll 38 that rotates at a predetermined timing.

  In the above-described digital color printer and copying machine, when double-sided copying such as full color is made, the transfer sheet 30 with the image fixed on one side is not discharged onto the discharge tray 33 as it is by the discharge roll 32 but is shown in the drawing. The conveyance direction is switched by the switching gate not to be conveyed, and the sheet is conveyed to the duplex conveyance unit 40 via the sheet conveyance roller pair 39. Then, in this double-sided conveyance unit 40, the transfer sheet 30 is conveyed again to the registration roll 38 with the front and back sides of the transfer paper 30 being reversed by a pair of conveyance rollers (not shown) provided along the conveyance path 41. After the image is transferred and fixed on the back surface of the transfer paper 30, it is discharged onto the discharge tray 33.

  In FIGS. 1 and 2, 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K supply toners of predetermined colors to the developing devices 17 for yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. Each toner cartridge (developer container) is shown.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the image forming units of the digital color printer and the copying machine.

  The four image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are all configured similarly as shown in FIG. 3, and these four image forming units 13Y. , 13M, 13C, and 13K, as described above, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images are sequentially formed at predetermined timings. As described above, the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K for the respective colors are provided with the photosensitive drums 15, and the surfaces of these photosensitive drums 15 are uniformly provided by the charging rolls 16 for primary charging. Charged. Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 15 is scanned and exposed to an image forming laser beam LB emitted from the ROS 14 according to the image data, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to each color is formed. The laser beam LB scanned and exposed on the photosensitive drum 15 is set so as to be exposed at a predetermined inclination angle α from an obliquely lower position slightly to the right side from directly below the photosensitive drum 15. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 15 is converted into yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors by the developing rolls 17a of the developing devices 17 of the image forming units 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K. The visible toner images are developed with toner, and these visible toner images are sequentially transferred in multiple onto the intermediate transfer belt 25 by the charging of the primary transfer roll 26.

  In addition, residual toner, paper dust, and the like are removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum 15 after the toner image transfer process is completed by the cleaning device 18 to prepare for the next image forming process. The cleaning device 18 includes a cleaning blade 42, and the cleaning blade 42 removes residual toner, paper dust, and the like on the photosensitive drum 15. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 25 after the toner image transfer process is finished, after the residual toner and paper dust are removed by the cleaning device 43, the next image forming process. Prepare for. The cleaning device 43 includes a cleaning brush 43a and a cleaning blade 43b. The cleaning brush 43a and the blade 42 remove residual toner, paper dust, and the like on the intermediate transfer belt 25.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the developer conveying device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the developer conveying device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The developer conveying device 50 is provided corresponding to each of the toner cartridges 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K. The toner cartridges 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K are arranged in the direction from the front to the back of the digital color printer and the copying machine main body 1. The toner cartridges 44Y, 44M are provided corresponding to the toner cartridges 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K, and the holding member 54 constituted by the guide portions 52Y, 52M, 52C, and 52K. , 44C and 44K, developer transport members 56Y, 56M, 56C and 56K for transporting the toner stored in the developing device 17 to the developing device 17.

  The toner cartridges 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K are formed in an elongated cylindrical shape that is closed at both ends, and inside thereof, a toner is contained and a conveying member that conveys the toner is provided.

  Further, the toner cartridges 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K are provided with openings at the rear end portions on the cylindrical surface that are opened when the guide portions 52Y, 52M, 52C, and 52K are positioned at predetermined positions.

  The digital color printer and the copying machine main body 1 are provided with a drive source for driving a conveying member provided in the toner cartridges 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K.

  The guide portions 52Y, 52M, 52C, and 52K are formed in a U shape in front view so as to guide and hold the toner cartridges 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K from the front of the digital color printer and the copying machine main body 1 to the back. Has been.

  The guide portions 52Y, 52M, and 52C of the holding member 54 of the present embodiment are integrally formed of a resin material, and the guide portion 52K can be attached to and detached from the guide portions 52Y, 52M, and 52C by an attachment / detachment mechanism (not shown). Is formed. Here, the guide portion 52K is shown as being detachable. However, the guide portion corresponding to any one color is not limited to the guide portion 52K, and all the guide portions are integrated. It may be formed.

  In the guide portions 52Y, 52M, 52C, and 52K, developer transport members 56Y, 56M, 56C, and 56K are provided along the longitudinal direction of the guide portion on the back surface of the guide portion on the side where the toner cartridge is mounted. ing.

  The developer conveying members 56Y, 56M, 56C, and 56K are provided with receiving portions that receive toner falling from openings provided at corresponding positions on the rear side of the toner cartridges 44Y, 44M, 44C, and 44K. There are provided first conveying bodies 58Y, 58M, 58C, and 58K that convey the toner that has fallen to the receiving portion from the back of the digital color printer and the copying machine main body 1 in the front direction.

  The first transport bodies 58Y, 58M, 58C, and 58K are formed in an elongated cylindrical shape with both ends closed, and a first transport member that transports toner is provided inside.

  The digital color printer and the copying machine main body 1 are provided with a drive source for driving the first transport member provided in the first transport bodies 58Y, 58M, 58C, and 58K.

  The developer conveying members 56M, 56C, and 56K have a driving force direction of the first conveying member provided inside the first conveying members 58M, 58C, and 58K corresponding to each developer conveying member in a front view. Transmission mechanisms 60M, 60C, and 60K that convert to the left are provided at the tip.

  The developer conveying members 56M, 56C, and 56K are connected to the leading ends of the first conveying bodies 58M, 58C, and 58K corresponding to the respective developer conveying members, and convey toner in the left direction when viewed from the front. Two transport bodies 62M, 62C, and 62K are provided.

  The second transport bodies 62M, 62C, and 62K are formed in an elongated cylindrical shape with the left end closed, and a second transport member that transports toner by being connected to the transmission mechanisms 60M, 60C, and 60K is provided inside. ing.

  The developer transport members 56M, 56C, and 56K include third transport bodies 64M, 64C, and 64K that are connected to the left end portion of the second transport member and transport the toner downward corresponding to each developer transport member. Is provided.

  Details of the third transport bodies 64M, 64C, and 64K (vertical transport units) will be described later.

  The developer transport member 56Y is provided with a third transport body 64Y that is connected to the tip of the first transport body 58Y and transports the toner downward.

  Details of the third transport body 64Y (vertical transport unit) will be described later.

  Opening / closing mechanisms 66Y, 66M for opening and closing the lower ends of the third transport bodies 64Y, 64M, 64C, 64K corresponding to the respective third transport bodies at the lower ends of the third transport bodies 64Y, 64M, 64C, 64K, 66C and 66K are provided.

  FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a third transport body in the developer transport apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The third conveyance body 64 includes a hollow vertical guide passage 68 that guides toner in the vertical direction, and a vertical movement member 70 that is provided in the vertical guide passage 68 and moves up and down in a vertical direction by a predetermined distance. .

  FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 is positioned at the lowest position. FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating a state where the vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 is positioned at the uppermost position.

  The vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 is moved up and down in the vertical direction by a predetermined distance H.

  The vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 is, for example, predetermined in conjunction with the rotation of the auger that is the first transport member of the first transport body 58 or the auger that is the second transport member of the second transport body 62. The distance H is driven up and down in the vertical direction.

  The vertical guide passage 68 of the third transport body 64 is formed in a bellows shape. Specifically, the inner surface convex portion 72 is formed in a substantially uniform thick cylindrical shape and protrudes in a triangular shape on the inner surface, and the inner surface concave portion 74 is formed in the inner surface continuously with the inner surface convex portion 72 and is recessed in a triangular shape. And the same uneven | corrugated shape is formed continuously.

  The vertical guide passage 68 of the third transport body 64 is formed of a material such as ethylene propylene rubber (EPM, EPDM), for example.

  The vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 is formed in a coil shape. Specifically, the wire is formed in a cylindrical shape at a predetermined interval.

  The uneven shape in the vertical guide passage 68 of the third transport body 64 and the vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 are the same as when the vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 moves a predetermined distance H in the vertical direction. The vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 is formed so as to contact the inner surface recess 74 in the vertical guide path 68 of the third transport body 64.

  That is, on the inner surface of the vertical guide path 68 of the third transport body 64, the vertical movement member 70 of the third transport body 64 moves so that the entire vertical guide path 68 of the third transport body 64 vibrates. The inner surface convex part 72 which contacts the vertical moving member 70 of the 3 conveyance body 64 is provided.

  Accordingly, the amount of movement of the vertical moving member 70 of the third transport body 64 can be reduced to prevent toner from accumulating in the vertical guide passage 68 of the third transport body 64.

  Further, the vertical guide passage 68 of the third transport body 64 is formed to be extendable and contractable in the vertical direction.

  Therefore, even when the distance between the toner cartridge 44 and the developing device 17 changes, the toner stored in the toner cartridge 44 can be conveyed to the developing device 17.

  When the distance between the toner cartridge 44 and the developing device 17 changes, the toner image is applied to the photosensitive drum 15 from the operating position where the developing device 17 is positioned when the toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 15. When the developing device 17 is displaced to the retracted position where the developing device 17 is positioned when the developing device 17 is not formed, and when the developing device 17 is replaced, the developing device 17 is removed from the mounting position where the developing device 17 is positioned. The case where it displaces to a removal position etc. is mentioned.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation implementation is possible within the range of the summary of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a tandem digital color printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a tandem type digital color copying machine as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating an image forming unit of a tandem type digital color printer. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the developer conveying device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the developer conveying device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a third transport body in the developer transport apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Digital color printer main body, digital color copying machine main body (image forming apparatus), 15: photosensitive drum (image holding body), 17: developing device, 44Y, 44M, 44C, 44K: toner cartridge (developer container) 50: Developer transport device, 52Y, 52M, 52C, 52K: Guide part, 54: Holding member, 56Y, 56M, 56C, 56K: Developer transport member, 64Y, 64M, 64C, 64K: Third transport body ( 68: Vertical guide passage, 70: Vertical moving member, 72: Inner surface convex portion

Claims (2)

A developer transport member for transporting the developer contained in the developer container to the developing device,
The developer transport member has a vertical transport unit that transports the developer in the vertical direction,
The vertical transport unit is
A hollow vertical guide passage made of a bellows-like elastic member for guiding the developer in the vertical direction;
A coil-shaped vertical movement member that is provided in the vertical guide passage and is moved up and down in a vertical direction by a predetermined distance, and
Wherein the inner surface of the vertical guide passage, and that the inner surface protrusion whole is part of the bellows in contact with the vertical moving member to oscillate in the vertical guide passage is provided in which the the vertical moving member moves ,
The developer conveying member , wherein an outer diameter of the vertical moving member is larger than a shortest separation distance between the inner surface convex portions facing each other in the vertical guide passage . An image carrier that holds a developer image in which an electrostatic latent image is formed and the electrostatic latent image is developed with a developer;
A developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier with a developer;
A developer container containing a developer to be supplied to the developing device;
A developer conveying member that conveys the developer contained in the developer containing body to the developing device,
The developer transport member has a vertical transport unit that transports the developer in the vertical direction,
The vertical transport unit is
A hollow vertical guide passage made of a bellows-like elastic member for guiding the developer in the vertical direction;
A coil-shaped vertical movement member that is provided in the vertical guide passage and is moved up and down in a vertical direction by a predetermined distance, and
The inner surface of the vertical guide passage is provided with an inner surface convex portion that is a part of a bellows that contacts the vertical movement member so that the entire vertical guide passage vibrates as the vertical movement member moves. ,
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the vertical moving member is larger than a shortest separation distance between the inner surface convex portions facing each other in the vertical guide passage .

Images