JP5803286B2 - cartridge - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cartridge that is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus.

  In general, a cartridge that contains a developer and is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus such as a printer is known. Some of such cartridges and image forming apparatuses in which the cartridges are mounted include a configuration for detecting whether or not the mounted cartridge is new (new article detection). For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanism for detecting that a cartridge is new when a contact protrusion provided on a detection gear of a cartridge (developing cartridge) contacts an actuator provided in the image forming apparatus. Is disclosed.

  More specifically, the detection gear of Patent Document 1 is a chipped gear, and in a new state, the tooth portion meshes with the agitator drive gear, and the contact protrusion is disposed at a position where it can contact the actuator. When the cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus and a warming-up operation (rotating operation) is executed, the detection gear rotates, the contact protrusion is displaced to a position where it cannot contact the actuator, and the missing tooth portion is Drive transmission is cut away from the agitator drive gear.

  With such a configuration, when a new cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus, the contact protrusion is in contact with the actuator, so that it is detected that the cartridge is new. For example, the used cartridge is replaced with the image forming apparatus. When the cartridge is removed and mounted again, the contact protrusion does not contact the actuator, so that the cartridge is detected as an old product.

JP 2006-267994 A

  By the way, in the configuration as described above, there is a problem that it is difficult to visually recognize the rotation state of the detection gear (detection rotating body), for example, whether or not a new article is detected.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge capable of confirming the rotation state of a detection rotating body (first rotating body).

In order to achieve the above-described object, a cartridge according to the present invention includes a housing that contains a developer and a detected portion that can be detected by an external detection unit, and is a first rotating body that is rotatably provided in the housing. A second rotating body that is rotatably provided in the casing and can transmit a driving force input from the outside to the first rotating body, and a cover body that is located outside the first rotating body and is attached to the casing And.
The first rotating body transmits a driving force from the second rotating body when facing the second rotating body and rotates the first rotating body and the second rotating body faces the second rotating body. And a non-transmission unit that cannot transmit the driving force from the rotating body.
The first rotating body is in a state where the transmitting portion is rotated by a predetermined amount from the first position where the transmitting portion faces the second rotating body, and the non-transmitting portion is opposed to the second rotating body. It is comprised so that it can rotate between positions.
The detected portion is located between the housing and the cover body at the first position and the second position, and is detected by the detection means while the first rotating body rotates from the first position to the second position. The
At least one of the cover body and the housing forms a first opening for detecting the detected portion by the detecting means.
The cover body has a second opening provided separately from the first opening in the wall facing the housing.
The first rotating body is configured so that the appearance from the second opening is different between when it is in the first position and when it is in the second position.

  According to such a configuration, when the first rotating body is in the first position where the transmitting portion faces the second rotating body and can be rotated by the input of driving force from the outside, the non-transmitting portion is the second. Since the appearance from the second opening is different between the second position where the rotation body cannot be rotated and the second rotation position, the rotation state of the first rotation body can be confirmed.

  In the cartridge described above, the first rotating body may have a configuration in which the circumferential surface faces the second rotating body and includes a transmission unit and a non-transmission unit on the circumferential surface.

  Further, in the cartridge described above, when the first rotating body is in the first position, one of the transmission unit and the non-transmission unit is visible from the second opening, and the transmission unit is in the second position. And it can comprise so that the other of the non-transmission parts can be seen.

  According to such a configuration, for example, when the first rotating body is in the first position, the transmission portion can be seen from the second opening, and when it is in the second position, the non-transmission portion can be seen from the second opening. Therefore, the rotation state of the first rotating body can be confirmed based on the difference in appearance from the second opening at each position.

  In the cartridge in which the first rotating body has the transmitting portion and the non-transmitting portion on the peripheral surface, the second rotating body is a gear, and the first rotating body is capable of meshing with the gear teeth of the second rotating body. It can be set as the structure which has the gear-tooth part as a part and the missing-tooth part as a non-transmission part in which the gear tooth is not provided.

  In such a configuration, for example, the first rotating body can visually recognize the gear tooth portion from the second opening when it is in the first position, and from the second opening when it is in the second position. The missing tooth portion can be visually recognized. The rotation state of the first rotating body can be confirmed by the difference in appearance from the second opening.

  According to the present invention, the first rotating body is configured so that the appearance from the second opening is different between when it is in the first position and when it is in the second position. The rotation state of the body can be confirmed.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a laser printer equipped with a cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view (a) of the developing cartridge in a new state and a side view (b) with the cover body removed. FIG. 4 is a side view (a) of the developing cartridge in an old product state and a side view (b) with the cover body removed. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the developing cartridge in a state in which the detection projection recovers its shape and protrudes from the first opening, and FIG. 2A shows a state where the cover body is attached and FIG. 2B shows a state where the cover body is removed. ). FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the left side surface of the developing cartridge in the state shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a side view of the developing cartridge immediately before the detection protrusion recovers its shape. FIG. 5 is a side view of the developing cartridge in a state in which the detection protrusion shown in FIG. 4A recovers its shape and protrudes from the first opening. It is the perspective view (a) of the detection gear which concerns on 2nd Embodiment, and the figure (b)-(d) which shows the operation | movement at the time of the new article detection of the cartridge concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is a side view of the friction wheel as a modification of the 1st rotating body.

[First Embodiment]
Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In the following description, after describing the schematic configuration of the laser printer 1 (image forming apparatus) to which the developing cartridge 7 as an example of the cartridge according to the embodiment is detachably mounted, the developing according to the characteristic part of the present invention. A detailed configuration of the cartridge 7 will be described.

  In the following description, the direction will be described with reference to the user who uses the laser printer 1. That is, the right side in FIG. 1 is “front”, the left side is “rear”, the front side is “left”, and the back side is “right”. Also, the vertical direction in FIG.

<Schematic configuration of laser printer>
As shown in FIG. 1, the laser printer 1 includes a main body housing 2 (image forming apparatus main body), a paper feeding unit 3 that supplies paper S, an exposure device 4, and a toner image (developer) on the paper S. A process cartridge 5 for transferring the image) and a fixing device 8 for thermally fixing the toner image on the paper S.

  The paper feed unit 3 is provided at a lower portion in the main body housing 2 and mainly includes a paper feed tray 31, a paper pressing plate 32, and a paper feed mechanism 33. The paper S stored in the paper feed tray 31 is moved upward by the paper pressing plate 32 and supplied toward the process cartridge 5 (between the photosensitive drum 61 and the transfer roller 63) by the paper feed mechanism 33.

  The exposure device 4 is disposed in the upper part of the main body housing 2 and includes a laser light emitting unit, a polygon mirror, a lens, a reflecting mirror, and the like (not shown). In this exposure device 4, the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is exposed by scanning the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 at high speed with laser light (see the chain line) based on the image data emitted from the laser light emitting unit.

  The process cartridge 5 is disposed below the exposure apparatus 4 and is detachably mounted on the main body housing 2 through an opening formed when the front cover 21 provided on the main body housing 2 is opened. Yes. The process cartridge 5 includes a drum unit 6 and a developing cartridge 7.

  The drum unit 6 mainly includes a photosensitive drum 61, a charger 62, and a transfer roller 63.

  The developing cartridge 7 is detachably attached to the drum unit 6, and is configured to be detachably attached to the main body housing 2 as being attached to the drum unit 6, that is, as the process cartridge 5. The developing cartridge 7 mainly includes a developing roller 71, a supply roller 72, a layer thickness regulating blade 73, a toner accommodating portion 74 that accommodates toner as an example of a developer, and an agitator 75.

  In the process cartridge 5, the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is uniformly charged by the charger 62 and then exposed by high-speed scanning of the laser light from the exposure device 4, whereby image data is transferred onto the photosensitive drum 61. An electrostatic latent image based on is formed. Further, the toner in the toner storage portion 74 is first supplied to the supply roller 72 while being stirred by the agitator 75, and then supplied from the supply roller 72 to the developing roller 71. As the developing roller 71 rotates, the developing roller 71 enters between the developing roller 71 and the layer thickness regulating blade 73 and is carried on the developing roller 71 as a thin layer having a constant thickness.

  The toner carried on the developing roller 71 is supplied from the developing roller 71 to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 61. As a result, the electrostatic latent image is visualized and a toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 61. Thereafter, the sheet S is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 61 and the transfer roller 63 so that the toner image on the photosensitive drum 61 is transferred onto the sheet S.

  The fixing device 8 is disposed behind the process cartridge 5, and mainly includes a heating roller 81 and a pressure roller 82 disposed so as to face the heating roller 81 and press the heating roller 81. In the fixing device 8, the toner image transferred onto the paper S is thermally fixed while the paper S passes between the heating roller 81 and the pressure roller 82. The paper S on which the toner image has been thermally fixed is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 22 by a paper discharge roller 23.

<Detailed configuration of developing cartridge>
Next, a detailed configuration of the developing cartridge 7 will be described. In the following description of the configuration of the developing cartridge 7, it is in a new state (a state when the casing 70 is filled with toner and shipped (when the detection gear 90 is in the first position in this embodiment)). The developing cartridge 7 will be mainly described.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in addition to the developing roller 71 described above, the developing cartridge 7 further includes a casing 70, a drive transmission mechanism 76, and detection as an example of the first rotating body. A gear 90 and a cover body 100 are provided.

  The housing 70 rotatably supports the developing roller 71, the supply roller 72, the agitator 75, and the like, and forms a toner accommodating portion 74 that accommodates toner. A cover body 100 is attached to the left side surface of the housing 70 so as to cover the drive transmission mechanism 76 and the detection gear 90.

  The drive transmission mechanism 76 is a mechanism for transmitting a driving force input from the outside of the developing cartridge 7 to the developing roller 71, the supply roller 72, and the agitator 75, and is provided on the left side surface of the housing 70. The drive transmission mechanism 76 includes an input gear 73G to which a driving force is input from a drive output member 26 (see FIG. 5) provided in the main body housing 2, a developing roller gear 71G and a supply roller gear 72G meshing with the input gear 73G. The agitator gear 75G meshes with the input gear 73G via the intermediate gear 74G. The gears 71G to 75G are rotatably provided to the housing 70.

  The developing roller gear 71G, the supply roller gear 72G, and the agitator gear 75G are gears that rotate and drive the developing roller 71, the supply roller 72, and the agitator 75, respectively, and end portions of the rotation shafts of the developing roller 71, the supply roller 72, and the agitator 75, respectively. Are integrally provided. In the present embodiment, the agitator gear 75G is an example of a second rotating body as a gear capable of transmitting a driving force input from the outside (drive output member 26) to the detection gear 90.

  The detection gear 90 includes a cylindrical shaft portion 91, a substantially disc-shaped gear portion 92 formed around the shaft portion 91, and a detection protrusion as an example of a detected portion that can be detected by a detection mechanism 200 described later. 95 is mainly provided.

  The shaft portion 91 is a portion that engages with a boss-shaped rotating shaft 70 </ b> A provided on the left side surface of the housing 70. The detection gear 90 is provided so as to be rotatable (supported) with respect to the housing 70 by engaging the shaft portion 91 with the rotation shaft 70A.

  The gear portion 92 is disposed so that the peripheral surface thereof faces the agitator gear 75G, and the gear tooth portion 93 as an example of a transmission portion provided with gear teeth is not provided on the peripheral surface. It has a missing tooth portion 94 as an example of a non-transmitting portion.

  When the developing cartridge 7 shown in FIG. 2B is in a new state, the gear portion 92 meshes with the gear teeth of the agitator gear 75G with the gear teeth portion 93 facing the agitator gear 75G. Therefore, when the gear tooth portion 93 faces the agitator gear 75G, the detection gear 90 can be rotated by transmitting the driving force from the agitator gear 75G.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the developing cartridge 7 is in an old product state, the gear portion 92 has the missing tooth portion 94 facing the agitator gear 75G and is not meshed with the gear teeth of the agitator gear 75G. . Therefore, when the chipped tooth portion 94 faces the agitator gear 75G, the driving force from the agitator gear 75G can be made impossible to transmit, so that the detection gear 90 can be prevented from rotating.

  When the developing cartridge 7 is in a new state, the detection gear 90 is in a posture in which the gear tooth portion 93 faces the agitator gear 75G as shown in FIG. 2B (hereinafter, in this embodiment, this state) (Referred to as “first position”). Further, when the developing cartridge 7 is in an old product state, the detection gear 90 is in a posture in which the missing tooth portion 94 faces the agitator gear 75G as shown in FIG. "Position of"). The detection gear 90 is configured to be rotatable between a first position and a second position.

  As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the detection protrusion 95 is located on the left side surface of the gear portion 92 at a position shifted in the radial direction from the shaft portion 91 (rotation center of the detection gear 90), more specifically, the gear portion. It protrudes toward the left side (outside) from the part which has the chipped-tooth part 94 in 92 as a surrounding surface, and has comprised the elongate round bar shape. The detection protrusion 95 is made of rubber or urethane foam and has elasticity.

  The detection protrusion 95 is located between the housing 70 and the cover body 100 at the first position shown in FIG. 2 and the second position shown in FIG. 3, and at this time, as shown in FIG. The tip is abutted against the inner surface of the cover body 100 (not shown in FIG. 5), and is accommodated in an elastically deformed state in an approximately L shape. 4A and 4B, the detection protrusion 95 is provided on the cover body 100 while the detection gear 90 is rotating from the first position toward the second position. By projecting with the shape restored from one opening 110, the actuator 210 abuts as described later, and is detected by the optical sensor 220 (detection means).

  2A, the cover body 100 is positioned outside the drive transmission mechanism 76 and the detection gear 90, and covers the drive transmission mechanism 76 (specifically, the gears 72G to 75G) and the detection gear 90. Is attached to the housing 70. The cover body 100 has a substantially fan-shaped first opening 110 and a substantially circular second opening 120 on a wall (reference numeral omitted) facing the housing 70.

  The first opening 110 is an opening for detecting the detection protrusion 95 by the detection mechanism 200, specifically, an opening for allowing the detection protrusion 95 to protrude outside the cover body 100 (see FIG. 4A). ). The first opening 110 is formed on the upper side of the shaft portion 91 of the detection gear 90 so that the left side surface of the detection gear 90 (gear portion 92) can face.

  The second opening 120 is an opening provided separately from the first opening 110 for checking the rotation state of the detection gear 90 (whether or not it is in the second position). The second opening 120 is formed on the front side of the first opening 110 so that a part of the peripheral surface of the gear portion 92 can face.

  In the present invention, when the detection gear 90 is in the first position shown in FIG. 2 (when it is in a new state) and when it is in the second position shown in FIG. It is comprised so that the appearance from two opening 120 may differ. Specifically, when the detection gear 90 is in the first position shown in FIG. 2 from the second opening 120, a part of the gear tooth portion 93 is visible, and when the detection gear 90 is in the second position shown in FIG. It is configured so that a part of the missing tooth portion 94 can be seen.

  In other words, the peripheral surface of the gear portion 92 of the detection gear 90 is formed with gear teeth at a portion corresponding to the second opening 120 when in the first position, and when the second gear is in the second position. The gear teeth are not formed in the portion corresponding to the two openings 120.

<Configuration for new detection of laser printer>
Here, the configuration relating to the new detection of the laser printer 1 will be briefly described. In addition, since a well-known structure can be employ | adopted as a structure of such a new article detection, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted in this specification.
The laser printer 1 includes a drive mechanism (not shown) and a detection mechanism 200.

  The drive mechanism mainly includes a motor (not shown), a drive output member 26 (see FIG. 5), and a plurality of gears that transmit the drive force of the motor to the drive output member 26. For example, the drive output member 26 is configured to move back and forth in conjunction with opening and closing of the front cover 21, and the developing cartridge 7 (process cartridge 5) is attached to the main body housing 2 and the front cover 21 is closed. This engages with the input gear 73G. As a result, the driving force can be transmitted to the developing cartridge 7.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the detection mechanism 200 mainly includes an actuator 210, an optical sensor 220 as an example of detection means, and a control device (not shown).

  The actuator 210 includes a swing shaft 211 that is swingably supported by the main body housing 2, a contact arm 212 that extends downward from the swing shaft 211, and a light shielding arm 213 that extends rearward and obliquely downward from the swing shaft 211. have. The actuator 210 is always biased to a non-detection posture shown in FIG. 2A by a spring (not shown). In addition, the actuator 210 swings in the clockwise direction in the drawing when the detection projection 95 protruding from the first opening 110 abuts against the abutment arm 212 and assumes a detection posture (see FIG. 7).

  The optical sensor 220 mainly includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element that are arranged opposite to each other on the left and right. When the actuator 210 is in a non-detecting posture, light from the light emitting element is blocked by the light blocking arm 213 and is detected by the actuator 210. In the posture (see FIG. 7), light is received by the light receiving element. The light receiving element outputs a predetermined signal to the control device when receiving light.

  The control device is a device that controls the operation of the laser printer 1 and further has a function of determining whether or not the developing cartridge 7 is new. In addition, the control device can detect the laser printer 1 when the developing cartridge 7 is mounted (for example, when a closing signal is input from a sensor that detects the closing operation of the front cover 21) or when image data is input. When the power is turned on, the operation is performed.

  When a predetermined signal is output from the optical sensor 220 (light receiving element) during execution of the glass turning operation, the control device determines that the developing cartridge 7 is new, and the predetermined signal is not output. Sometimes, it is determined that the developing cartridge 7 is an old product.

  In the present embodiment, the “rotating operation” means that the developing roller 71, the supply roller 72, the agitator 75, etc., which are executed when the developing cartridge 7 is mounted or before the image forming operation, are preliminarily used. This is an operation to rotate. As a result, the toner in the toner container 74 is agitated and supplied to the developing roller 71 via the supply roller 72.

<Operation of detection gear>
Next, the operation of the detection gear 90 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2A, when the developing cartridge 7 is in a new state (when the detection gear 90 is in the first position), the peripheral surface of the gear portion 92 is opened from the second opening 120 of the cover body 100. A part of the gear teeth (gear tooth portion 93) formed on the surface is visible.

  When a new developing cartridge 7 (process cartridge 5) is mounted and the gear rotating operation is executed, the driving force is transmitted to the gear tooth portion 93 of the detection gear 90 via the agitator gear 75G (drive transmission mechanism 76). The detection gear 90 rotates. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, when the detection projection 95 reaches the first opening 110 by the rotation of the detection gear 90, the detection projection 95 that has been elastically deformed as shown in FIG. 7 (see also FIG. 4). By recovering the shape and projecting from the first opening 110, the shape comes into contact with the contact arm 212 of the actuator 210, and the actuator 210 is swung.

As a result, the swing of the actuator 210 is detected by the optical sensor 220, so the control device determines that the developing cartridge 7 is new.
Thereafter, the detection protrusion 95 abuts on the edge of the first opening 110 by further rotation of the detection gear 90 and enters between the housing 70 and the cover body 100 while being elastically deformed. It will return to a detection posture.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when the tooth missing portion 94 of the detection gear 90 faces the agitator gear 75G, the detection gear 90 is not transmitted to the detection gear 90, so that the detection gear 90 stops. After that, an old product state that does not rotate even when the drive transmission mechanism 76 is driven is obtained. More specifically, even if the developing cartridge 7 (process cartridge 5) in the old product state is mounted and the glass turning operation is executed, the swing of the actuator 210 is not detected because the detection gear 90 does not rotate. It is determined that the developing cartridge 7 is an old product.

  When the developing cartridge 7 is in an old product state (when the detection gear 90 is in the second position), the portion where the gear teeth on the peripheral surface of the gear portion 92 are not formed from the second opening 120 of the cover body 100 A part of the (missing tooth portion 94) can be seen.

  According to the developing cartridge 7 described above, the detection gear 90 is in a second state when it is in a new state (when it is in the first position) and when it is in an old state (when it is in the second position). Since the appearance from the opening 120 is different, the rotation state of the detection gear 90 can be confirmed.

  More specifically, whether or not the detection gear 90 is in the second position even when the detection protrusion 95 is not visible from the outside in a state of being removed from the main body housing 2 as in the developing cartridge 7 of the present embodiment. Can be confirmed. Specifically, when the gear tooth portion 93 is visually recognized from the second opening 120, it can be confirmed that the detection gear 90 is not in the second position, and the missing tooth portion 94 is formed from the second opening 120. Is visually recognized, it can be confirmed that the detection gear 90 is in the second position. When the detection gear 90 is in the second position, it means that the new article has already been detected. Therefore, whether or not the detection gear 90 is in the second position can be confirmed. It can be confirmed whether or not.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and illustrations and descriptions thereof are omitted as appropriate.

  8B to 8D, a part of the wall (the part surrounded by the side wall 102) facing the housing 70 of the cover body 100 is not shown, but the agitator gear 75G and The detection gear 90 is covered with a wall facing the housing 70 so that it cannot be seen from the outside. That is, in FIGS. 8B to 8D, the portion surrounded by the side wall 102 cannot be visually recognized from the outside.

  In the first embodiment described above, the detection protrusion 95 as an example of the detected portion is in the middle of the detection gear 90 rotating from the first position toward the second position, and the first of the cover body 100 is rotated. It was comprised so that it might protrude outside from the opening 110. FIG. In the present embodiment, the detected part does not protrude to the outside.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8A, the detection gear 90 of the present embodiment includes a shaft portion 91, a gear portion 92 having a gear tooth portion 93 and a missing tooth portion 94, and other portions to be detected. As an example, a detection protrusion 96 is mainly provided.

  The detection protrusion 96 protrudes outward from a position shifted in the radial direction from the rotation center of the detection gear 90 on the side surface of the gear portion 92 and has a substantially fan shape in side view. Unlike the detection protrusion 95 of the above-described embodiment, the detection protrusion 96 does not have elasticity, and is formed integrally with, for example, a resin gear portion 92.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, the cover body 100 of this embodiment includes a first opening 110 formed in the side wall 102 and a second opening 120 formed in the wall facing the housing 70 (broken line). Reference).

  When the developing cartridge 7 (process cartridge 5) is attached to the main body housing 2 in the direction of the white arrow shown in FIG. Are the openings that allow the contact arm 212 of the actuator 210 to enter.

  Also in the present embodiment, the detection gear 90 is in the first position shown in FIG. 8B (in a new state) and in the second position shown in FIG. 8D (old product). And when viewed from the second opening 120. Specifically, in the detection gear 90 of the present embodiment, a part of the gear tooth portion 93 can be seen from the second opening 120 when it is in the first position, and cannot be seen at all when it is in the second position ( (Only the side surface of the housing 70 is visible)

  When driving force is input to the new developing cartridge 7, the detection gear 90 rotates as shown in FIG. 8C, and the detection projection 96 contacts the contact arm 212 on the way to the second position. Therefore, it is determined that the developing cartridge 7 is new.

  Also according to the present embodiment described above, the detection gear 90 is viewed from the second opening 120 when it is in the first position and when it is in the second position (in this embodiment, the detection gear 90 is detected). Therefore, the rotation state of the detection gear 90 can be confirmed.

  In the present embodiment, only the cover body 100 forms the first opening 110 for detecting the detection protrusion 96 (detected portion) by the detection mechanism 200, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is not something. For example, the cutout formed in the side wall 102 of the cover body 100 and the side surface of the housing 70 may form the first opening, or only the housing 70 may form the first opening.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment. About a concrete structure, it can change suitably in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.

  In the first embodiment, when the detection gear 90 (first rotating body) is in the first position, the gear tooth portion 93 (transmission portion) can be seen from the second opening 120 and is in the second position. Although the missing tooth portion 94 (non-transmitting portion) is sometimes seen, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first rotating body may be configured so that the non-transmitting portion can be seen from the second opening when it is in the first position and the transmitting portion can be seen when it is in the second position.

  In the above embodiment, the detection gear 90 (first rotating body) is configured so that the vicinity of the peripheral surface can be seen from the second opening 120, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first rotating body has a through hole on the side surface, and the side surface (the portion where the through hole is not formed) can be seen from the second opening when the first rotating body is in the first position, and is in the second position. It may be configured such that the through hole (or only the side surface of the housing through the through hole) is sometimes visible.

In addition, the first rotating body gives a color to a part of the side surface, and when the first rotating body is in the first position, the colored portion of the side surface of the side surface (the uncolored portion) can be seen. color portion of which attached to the sides when in the second position may be configured to appear.

  In the embodiment, the detection gear 90 (first rotating body) has a gear tooth portion 93 (transmitting portion) and a missing tooth portion 94 (non-transmitting portion) on the circumferential surface facing the agitator gear 75G (second rotating body). However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first rotating body may have a configuration in which the side surface is opposed to the side surface of the second rotating body and the transmitting surface and the non-transmitting portion are provided on the side surface. Specifically, the first rotating body may have a configuration such as a bevel gear or a crown gear (crown gear) in which teeth are not formed in part (having a non-transmission portion).

  Although the detection gear 90 provided with the gear part 92 was illustrated as a 1st rotary body in the said embodiment, this invention is not limited to this. For example, a friction wheel 190 may be adopted as the first rotating body as shown in FIG. Supplementally, the friction wheel 190 has a belt support portion 192 shaped like a combination of two substantially arc-shaped plate members having different diameters instead of the gear portion 92 of the above-described embodiment. An endless rubber belt 97 is stretched around the outer periphery of the support portion 192.

  In the friction wheel 190, the transmission surface to which the driving force is transmitted when the peripheral surface of the large diameter portion of the belt support portion 192 on which the rubber belt 97 is stretched is opposed to the second rotating body such as the agitator gear 75G. The peripheral surface of the small diameter portion of the belt support portion 192 is a non-transmitting portion 194 to which the driving force is not transmitted when facing the second rotating body.

  In the embodiment, the agitator gear 75G (spur gear) is exemplified as the second rotating body, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, although not shown, when a gear for driving force transmission is further provided between the agitator gear 75G and the detection gear 90, this gear becomes the second rotating body. Moreover, you may employ | adopt a bevel gear, a crown gear, a friction wheel, an endless belt, an endless chain etc. as a 2nd rotary body.

  In the embodiment, the first position is the position of the detection gear 90 (first rotating body) when the developing cartridge 7 is in a new state, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, in the present invention, the first position is not particularly limited as long as it is the position of the first rotating body before the detected portion is detected by the external detection means. Therefore, the first position may be a certain position (posture) such as a position in a new state or a position immediately before being detected by the detecting means, or may be detected by the detecting means from a new position. It may be all positions up to the position immediately before, that is, a position (state) having a certain width.

  In the above-described embodiment, the developing cartridge 7 including the developing roller 71 and the toner containing portion 74 is exemplified as the cartridge, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in addition to a developing roller and a toner container, a process cartridge further including a photosensitive drum may be used, or a toner cartridge including a toner container and an agitator (without a developing roller) may be used. .

  The configuration (configuration for detecting a new article of the laser printer 1) for detecting the detection projection 95 of the detection gear 90 shown in the above embodiment is an example, and the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment. That is, as described above, a widely known configuration can be adopted as the configuration for detecting a new article of the image forming apparatus. Note that the specific configuration of the detected portion of the first rotating body can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the configuration of the new detection of the image forming apparatus.

  In the above embodiment, the laser printer 1 that forms a monochrome image is exemplified as the image forming apparatus to which the cartridge of the present invention is mounted. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a printer that forms a color image, for example. . The image forming apparatus is not limited to a printer, and may be, for example, a copier or a multi-function machine including a document reading apparatus such as a flat bed scanner.

7 Developing Cartridge 70 Housing 75G Agitator Gear 90 Detection Gear 92 Gear Portion 93 Gear Tooth Portion 94 Missing Tooth Portion 95 Detection Protrusion 100 Cover Body 110 First Opening 120 Second Opening 210 Actuator 220 Optical Sensor

Claims (3)

A housing for containing the developer;
A first rotating body that has a detected portion that can be detected by an external detection means, and is rotatably provided in the housing;
A second rotating body that is rotatably provided in the housing and can transmit a driving force input from the outside to the first rotating body;
A cover body positioned outside the first rotating body and attached to the housing,
The first rotating body is opposed to the second rotating body, and a transmission unit that rotates the first rotating body by transmitting a driving force from the second rotating body when facing the second rotating body. A non-transmission portion that cannot transmit the driving force from the second rotating body when
The first rotating body is in a state in which the transmitting portion is rotated by a predetermined amount from the first position where the transmitting portion faces the second rotating body, and the non-transmitting portion is in contact with the second rotating body. It is configured to be rotatable between opposing second positions,
The detected portion is located between the housing and the cover body at the first position and the second position, and the first rotating body rotates from the first position to the second position. Detected by the detecting means during
At least one of the cover body and the housing forms a first opening for detecting the detected portion by the detection means,
The cover body has a second opening provided separately from the first opening on a wall facing the housing.
The first rotating body is configured to be viewed from the second opening when the first rotating body is at the first position and when the first rotating body is at the second position ,
When the first rotating body is in the first position, one of the transmission unit and the non-transmission unit is visible from the second opening, and when the first rotating body is in the second position, the transmission unit and A cartridge configured to allow the other of the non-transmission parts to be seen .   2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral surface of the first rotating body faces the second rotating body, and the transmitting portion and the non-transmitting portion are provided on the peripheral surface. The second rotating body is a gear;
The first rotating body has a gear tooth portion as the transmitting portion that can mesh with the gear teeth of the second rotating body, and a missing tooth portion as the non-transmitting portion in which no gear teeth are provided. The cartridge according to claim 2.

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