JP5090813B2 - Toner supply device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  According to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile machine, an electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image with toner as a developer by a developing device, and the toner consumed by the visualization is replenished. The present invention relates to a toner replenishing method, a toner replenishing device, and an image forming apparatus.

In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image signal of an image pattern is formed on an image carrier by a latent image forming unit, and the formed electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing unit. In this way, the toner image is visualized.
After the toner image is transferred onto the recording material by the transfer means, an image forming process is performed in which residual toner remaining on the image carrier is removed by the cleaning means. For this reason, such an image forming apparatus generally includes a toner replenishing mechanism that is a developer because toner is consumed to record a toner image (image pattern) of a photoreceptor on a recording material.
In such a toner replenishing mechanism, it is necessary to detect the remaining amount of toner accommodated in the accommodating portion, and various toner remaining amount detecting mechanisms have been proposed in the past (for example, see Patent Document 1).
As such a toner (developer) remaining amount detection mechanism, Patent Document 1 discloses a toner remaining amount detection signal obtained by the toner remaining amount detection mechanism and a signal indicating the state of the cartridge containing the toner. A configuration is disclosed in which a warning signal relating to the state of the cartridge is provided to the user as needed, which is output to the controller unit independently.
JP 2002-268476 A

However, the technique of Patent Document 1 merely displays the toner end state after detecting the toner end. Furthermore, a toner storage part, a toner storage part, and a detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of toner in the developing device are provided.
However, in general, in an image forming apparatus, when it is detected that there is no toner in the storage unit or the storage unit of the main body, unless there is spare spare toner stored, no toner is used (toner end). Cannot output an image on a recording material.
In the image forming apparatus, such an inconvenience that the image cannot be output is solved, and there is a problem in recording the toner image (image pattern) of the photosensitive member on the recording material even if the spare toner for replacement is not in stock. The structure which does not come is desired.
In addition, it is possible to notify the operator of the preparation of replacement spare toner in advance so as to secure a period during which the operator can newly prepare replacement spare toner. It is also desirable to establish a mechanism in which preparation is automatically communicated to the toner supply supplier and toner preparation is performed.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a period in which an operator can newly prepare spare toner for replacement without interrupting the recording of the toner image (image pattern) of the photosensitive member on the recording material in consideration of the above-described situation. secured to provide a capable to belt toner replenishing instrumentation 置及 beauty image forming apparatus to arbitrarily adjust the time displayed by the economical use environment of the operator of the equipment is a user.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is a toner image that is visualized as a toner image with a toner as a developer by a developing device and is consumed by the visualization. A toner replenishing device for replenishing toner , wherein the toner concentration detecting means for detecting the toner concentration in the developing device, a toner container filled with a known toner amount, and the detection result of the toner concentration detecting means Toner consumption calculated from driving means for driving replenishment of toner in the toner container to the developing device, and toner replenishment data stored cumulatively by replenishment that can be stored cumulatively by the driving means the amount, the toner supply device provided with a main body control unit for comparing the known amount of toner, by comparison with the main control unit, for the known amount of toner Determining based on chromatography data, said from the main body control unit, before the toner end, prior to the time to ready a spare toner replacement, a plurality of different contents to encourage preparation of pre-toner replacement A display unit that displays the notification, a display timing instruction unit that allows the notification timing to be individually adjusted according to the user's circumstances, and a recording material 1 of a predetermined size with pixels that form an image to be formed from the image signal A pixel count control unit that counts the number of pixels per sheet, and a conversion that converts this value into the number of recording materials of a specified size and calculates the number of recording materials until the integrated value of the pixel number counter unit reaches a predetermined value The display unit compares the calculated toner consumption amount data with the number of recording materials, and gives priority to the one with the larger toner consumption amount, i.e., the time when the replacement time comes early. to determine And wherein the door.

The invention according to claim 2, replenishment performed by said driving means and said toner replenishing devices cumulatively stores possible is claim 1, wherein based on the dispense driving count.
The invention according to claim 3, supplementation performed by said driving means and said toner replenishing devices cumulatively stores possible is claim 1, wherein based on the replenishment time.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the image carrier by the latent image forming means, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by the developing means. after transferred onto a recording material by a transfer means, in an image forming apparatus for heating and fixing the toner image on the recording material, the toner according to claim 1, wherein the toner replenishing device for replenishing the toner consumed by the visible image An image forming apparatus including a replenishing device is characterized.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that an image cannot be output and to reserve a replacement spare in advance so that an operator who does not have a replacement spare toner inventory can secure a period during which a replacement spare toner can be newly prepared. The operator can be notified of toner preparation. In other words, taking into account the economic use environment of the operator's equipment, the toner replacement display time can be adjusted to secure a spare toner preparation period for replacement and to hold stock toner such as stock. I made it unnecessary. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience that the image cannot be output because there is no purchase of toner.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the photosensitive member of FIG.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a copying machine (image forming apparatus) 1 is a digital copying machine using an electrophotographic system, and includes a drum-like photoreceptor 10 as an image carrier. As shown in FIG. 2, devices necessary for carrying out the electrophotographic copying process are arranged around the photoconductor 10 along the rotation direction of the photoconductor 10 indicated by an arrow A.
That is, an exposure device (latent image forming means) 4 for irradiating the photosensitive member 10 with laser light L from an LD (laser diode) via a charging roller 11 serving as charging means and a writing unit 4 is disposed. Has been.

Further, a developing device (developing unit) 12 that performs development with toner (developer), a transfer unit (transfer unit) having a transfer unit 13 and a separation charger 14, and a cleaning unit (cleaning unit) 15 that cleans the photoreceptor 10 are provided. It is arranged around the photoreceptor 10.
In addition, a scanner 3 for reading a document placed on the contact glass 2 is provided at the upper part of the copying machine 1. The scanner 3 sends the read image pattern as an image signal to an image control unit 31 described later with reference to FIG.
The image control unit 31 performs image processing such as edge processing and smoothing processing on the received image signal, and sends a PWM or PM modulated signal to an LD driver 32 described later with reference to FIG. The exposure device 4 irradiates the photoconductor 10 with a laser beam from an LD (laser diode) 33 (to be described later with reference to FIG. 3) in accordance with a signal from the LD driver 32 to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image pattern.

Next, the image forming process of the copying machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The photoreceptor 10 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 11. The exposure device 4 performs light irradiation by the LD 33 (FIG. 3) based on the image signal of the image pattern read by the scanner 3 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 10.
This electrostatic latent image is developed with toner from the developing sleeve 28 of the developing device (device constituted by 12, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29) to form a toner image. In relation to the developing device 12, reference numeral 21 denotes a casing, 22 denotes a toner storage portion, 23 and 24 denote stirring screws, and 29 denotes a blade for controlling the amount of toner on the developing sleeve 28. This toner image is electrostatically transferred by the transfer means 13 of the transfer device to the recording material P fed from the paper supply roller of the paper supply device.
The recording material P on which the toner image has been transferred by electrostatic transfer is peeled off from the photoreceptor 10 by the separation charger 14 and conveyed to the fixing unit 5. The recording material P conveyed by the fixing unit 5 is discharged to the outside after the toner image is fixed here.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the control system of the copying machine. FIG. 3 shows an image control unit 31, an LD driver 32, an LD (laser diode) 33, and a main body control unit 34 connected to the T sensor 25 sent from the scanner using an image pattern as an image signal. Further, a display unit 35 connected to the main body control unit 34, an addition / accumulation unit 37 for adding and accumulating on-unit data of one unit number of times of turning on the clutch 39, a drive motor 38, and a network 40 are shown. An input display time instruction unit 36 is connected to the display unit 35.
1 to 3, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image signal of the image pattern is converted into an image carrier (photoconductor) by a latent image forming means (exposure device) 4. Then, the electrostatic latent image thus formed is visualized as a toner image with toner as a developer by the developing device 12. After the toner image is transferred to the recording material P by the transfer unit 13, an image forming process is performed in which the residual toner remaining on the image carrier 10 is removed by the cleaning unit 15.

In the developing device 12, in addition to the developing sleeve 28 for developing the electrostatic latent image, stirring screws 23 and 24 for stirring the two-component developer in the developing device 12 are provided.
A toner concentration sensor (T sensor) 25 for detecting the toner concentration in the developing device 12 is provided below the stirring screw 23 in the developing device 12.
The T sensor 25 is a detecting means for detecting the carrier concentration, and detects the toner concentration by detecting the amount of carrier per unit volume. A toner container 7 filled only with toner is also connected to the developing device 12. When toner needs to be replenished into the developing device 12, the transport screw 26 (FIG. 2) is driven by a drive motor (not shown) to transport the toner into the developing device 12.
The toner replenishment is transmitted from the main body drive by the main body drive motor 38 (FIG. 3), and is transmitted via a clutch 39 which can turn on / off the drive transmission in the middle. When the drive is turned on, the toner is discharged from the toner container 7 through the transport screw 26 and transported into the developing device 12. The on / off control is performed by detecting the carrier concentration in the developing device 12 by the above-described T sensor 25 and performing control by the main body control unit 34 based on the detection result.

Further, the amount of toner discharged per unit when the drive is on is constant. Data on the number of times of 1 unit turn-on of the clutch 39 that is a toner replenishment operation (number of times of replenishment drive) is sent to the on-unit addition / accumulation unit 37 to be accumulated unit data. The accumulated unit data can be stored. Here, the accumulated unit data is the number of times of replenishment driving, but may be based on the replenishment time.
The accumulated unit data is sent to the main body control unit 34. In the main body control unit 34, a known toner amount from the toner container 7 and a toner consumption amount which is a value (product) obtained by multiplying the cumulative unit data which is the previous cumulative unit number by the toner replenishment amount per unit. Compare By this comparison, the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 7 can also be recognized. (For this reason, the amount of toner carried out can be recognized by accumulating the cumulative unit of driving.)

The toner density is detected in the developing device 12, and the replenishment performed by the conveying screw serving as the toner agitation driving means can be stored cumulatively. In this case, this replenishment can cumulatively store either the number of driving operations or time. A comparison is made between the known toner amount filled in the toner container 7 and the toner consumption amount calculated from the toner replenishment data in which the replenishment drive frequency or replenishment time replenished by the agitation drive means is stored cumulatively. To do.
Based on the comparison, it is determined based on the recognized data about the toner storage unit 7, indicating that the replacement time of the toner storage unit 7 is close to the display unit 35 from the main body control unit 34. A "display signal", an "imaging process stop warning signal", and a "toner container replacement work confirmation signal" are output. Such signal output can prompt the operator to prepare replacement toner.
In addition, regarding the display time from the input display time instruction unit 36, it takes time to prepare (procure) replacement toner, and the preparation (procurement) period varies depending on the user who uses the image forming apparatus 1. Is different. Therefore, a notification that prompts the user to prepare spare toner for replacement is displayed before the time until the spare toner can be prepared before the toner end, and the notification timing is individually adjusted according to the user's circumstances. to enable.

A toner replenishing device that visualizes an electrostatic latent image according to the present invention as a toner image with toner as a developer by a developing device, and replenishes the toner consumed by the visualization, in the developing device 12. The number of times of replenishment driving or the replenishment time that has been replenished by the driving means can be stored in the main body control unit 34 in a cumulative manner.
In the main body control unit 34, the toner consumption calculated from the known toner amount filled in the toner container 7 and the number of replenishment driving times or the replenishment time replenished by the driving means is stored cumulatively. Compare quantities. In accordance with the result, before the toner end, the display unit 35 displays a notification prompting the preparation of the replacement spare toner before the time until the replacement spare toner can be prepared, and the display timing instruction unit 36. Makes it possible to individually adjust the notification time according to the circumstances of the user.
For this reason, the time until the replacement display and the actual toner end can be adjusted by operating the display unit 35. As a result, the stop of the image forming apparatus 1 due to the toner end can be avoided. In FIG. 3, a network 40 is communicable with the image forming apparatus 1 and forms a toner replenishment distribution system to be described later.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the control system of the copying machine. As shown in FIG. 1, a scanner 3 that reads an original placed on a contact glass 2 is provided on the upper portion of the copying machine 1. The scanner 3 sends the read image pattern as an image signal to the image control unit 31 shown in FIG.
The image control unit 31 performs image processing such as edge processing and smoothing processing on the received image signal, and sends a PWM or PM modulated signal to the LD driver 32.
The exposure device 4 (FIG. 1) irradiates the photosensitive member 10 (FIG. 1) with a laser beam from an LD (laser diode) 33 in accordance with a signal from the LD driver 32, and generates an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image pattern. Form.
Further, referring also to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the image forming apparatus 1, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor 10 as the image carrier by the exposure device 4 as the latent image forming unit is developed by the developing device 12. The toner image as a developer is visualized as a toner image. Thereafter, after the toner image is transferred to the recording material P by the transfer unit 13, an image forming process is performed in which the residual toner remaining on the photoreceptor 10 is removed by the cleaning unit 15.

The second embodiment of the control system shown in FIG. 4 includes a pixel count counter unit 42 that compresses and integrates the number of pixels obtained from an image signal of an image pattern formed for each image forming process. When the integrated value of the pixel count counter unit 42 reaches a predetermined value, the toner consumption is converted by the conversion unit 43 under the control of the pixel counter control unit 41.
It is possible to determine the replacement time by determining the remaining amount of residual toner in the toner storage unit 7 from the converted value in the conversion unit 43 and the known toner amount in the toner storage unit 7. Further, in FIG. 4, similarly to FIG. 3, the T sensor 25, the main body control unit 34, the display unit 35, the input display timing instruction member 36, the ON unit addition and accumulation unit 37, the main body drive motor 38, the clutch 39, and the network 40 is shown.
“Toner container replacement display signal” and “imaging process stop warning signal” indicating that the replacement timing of the toner container 7 is near to the display unit 35 from the main body control unit 34 based on the converted data. , And “toner container replacement work confirmation signal” are output. This can prompt the operator to prepare replacement toner.

In addition, regarding the timing of such display, a preparation (procurement) period for replacement toner is required, and the preparation (procurement) period varies depending on the user using the image forming apparatus. For this reason, the time until the replacement display and the actual toner end can be adjusted by operating the display unit 35. As a result, the stop of the image forming apparatus due to the toner end can be avoided.
In the second embodiment of this control system, a pixel count control unit 42 that counts the number of pixels per sheet of a predetermined size among the pixels constituting the image to be formed from the image signal, defines this value. A conversion unit 43 is included for converting the number of recording materials of the size and calculating the number of recording materials until the integrated value of the pixel number counter unit reaches a predetermined value. The display unit 35 determines the display time by giving priority to the time when the toner consumption is larger than the calculated toner consumption data, that is, the time when the replacement time comes early, and before the toner end, A notification prompting for the preparation of replacement spare toner is displayed before the time until the spare toner can be prepared (procured), and the display timing instruction unit 36 can individually adjust the notification timing according to the circumstances of the user. .

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a toner replenishing system including an image forming apparatus main body connected to a network. FIG. 5 shows toner replenishment comprising the image forming apparatus 1 connected to the remote access center 44 via the network 40 (FIGS. 3 and 4), and transport means 45 for loading, transporting and delivering replenishment toner. The system is shown.
In this toner supply system, toner is automatically ordered from the image forming apparatus 1 to a remote access center 44 which is a department (department) capable of supplying toner via the network 40 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The remote access center 44 that has received an order for toner from the image forming apparatus 1 receives an order for toner replenishment, notifies the toner supply order for replenishment toner loading, transport, and delivery to the replenishment toner transportation means 45, and the transportation means 45 places an order. The supply toner is delivered to the original.
Toner supply period by automatically notifying the toner supply department of toner replenishment order information through a line at the same time as being displayed on the display unit (FIGS. 3 and 4) from the image forming apparatus main body connected to the network 40 This is a toner replenishing system that can prepare replenishing toner without complicated operations for an operator who actually uses the image forming apparatus main body.

As described above, the preparation of replacement spare toner is automatically notified to the toner supply supplier using the network 40, and the operator does not need to prepare complicated replacement spare toner by the mechanism of toner preparation. .
In this way, the operator is notified in advance of the preparation of the replacement spare toner so that the operator can ensure a period in which the replacement spare toner can be newly prepared. You don't have to stock up In other words, by making it possible to adjust the toner replacement display time in consideration of the economical use environment of the equipment of the operator who is the user, it is not necessary to secure a spare toner preparation period for replacement and to have stock toner such as stock. This eliminates the inconvenience that there is no stock of toner and the image cannot be output.

1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an enlarged configuration diagram illustrating the vicinity of the photoconductor in FIG. 1. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a control system of a copying machine. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of a control system of the copying machine. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a toner replenishing system including an image forming apparatus main body connected to a network.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus, 3 Scanner, 4 Latent image forming means (exposure apparatus), 5 Heat fixing unit, 12 Developing means (developing apparatus), 13 Transfer means, 25 Toner density detecting means (T sensor), 26 Driving means (conveyance) Screw), 34 Main body control unit, 35 Display unit, 36 Display time instruction unit, 40 Network, 41 Pixel count control unit, 43 Conversion unit, 44 Toner supplyable unit (remote access center), 45 Replenishment toner transport means , P Recording material

Claims (4)

The electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image with toner as a developer by a developing device,
A toner replenishing device for replenishing toner consumed by the visualization ,
Toner density detecting means for detecting the toner density in the developing device ;
A toner container filled with a known amount of toner;
Drive means for performing replenishment driving of the toner in the toner container to the developing device according to a detection result of the toner density detection means;
A main body control unit for comparing the toner consumption calculated from the cumulatively stored toner supply data, and the known toner amount by cumulatively stores possible supply made by the drive means,
In a toner replenishing device comprising :
By comparison in the main body control unit, the determined data based on for known toner amount, from the main control unit, before the toner end, earlier than the time to ready a spare toner replacement A display unit for displaying a plurality of notifications with different contents for prompting preparation of spare toner for replacement ;
A display time instruction section that allows the notification time to be individually adjusted according to the user's circumstances ,
A pixel count control unit that counts the number of pixels per recording material of a predetermined size with pixels constituting an image to be formed from an image signal ;
A conversion unit that converts this value into the number of recording materials of a prescribed size and calculates the number of recording materials until the integrated value of the pixel number counter unit reaches a predetermined value ;
The display unit compares the calculated toner consumption data with the number of recording materials, and judges the display time by giving priority to the one with the larger toner consumption, that is, the time for early replacement. Toner replenishing device. 2. The toner replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein the replenishing performed by the driving means can be stored cumulatively based on the number of times of replenishing driving . 2. The toner replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein the replenishment performed by the driving means can be stored cumulatively based on a replenishment time . Forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier by the latent image forming means;
This electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by developing means,
In the image forming apparatus in which the toner image is transferred onto the recording material by a transfer unit and then the toner image is heated and fixed on the recording material.
An image forming apparatus comprising the toner replenishing device according to claim 1 as a toner replenishing device for replenishing toner consumed by the visualization .

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