JP6548407B2 - Transport apparatus, cleaning apparatus, developing apparatus, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and method of manufacturing transport apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a conveying device, a cleaning device, a developing device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus.

  Here, the process cartridge is a cartridge including at least an image carrier such as an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and further integrally including an image carrier and process means acting on the image carrier. Such a process cartridge is removably mounted on the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus.

  For example, one in which at least one of an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing unit, a charging unit, and a cleaning unit as the process unit are integrally formed into a cartridge can be mentioned. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming method.

  Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (LED printer, laser beam printer, etc.), a facsimile machine and a word processor, and a complex machine thereof (multifunction printer), etc. .

  An image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic printer using an electrophotographic process uniformly charges a photosensitive drum as an image carrier, forms a latent image by selective exposure to the photosensitive drum, and forms a latent image. The toner is developed with a developer, and the developer image (toner image) is transferred to the recording medium. Further, heat and pressure are applied to the transferred developer image to fix the developer image on the recording medium, thereby performing image recording.

  Such an image forming apparatus generally requires maintenance of various process means. In order to facilitate maintenance of the various process means, the above-described photosensitive drum, charging means, developing means, cleaning means, etc. are grouped in a frame and made into a cartridge, which can be removed from the image forming apparatus (apparatus main body) It has been put into practical use to make a simple process cartridge. According to the process cartridge system, an image forming apparatus having excellent usability can be provided.

  Such a process cartridge is known to have a unit such as a cleaning unit having a photosensitive drum, a developing unit having a developing unit, and a toner unit for supplying a developer.

  The configuration of the cleaning unit and the method of transporting the developer will be described. The cleaning unit supports the photosensitive drum, a charging roller for charging the photosensitive drum, a cleaning member for scraping the developer remaining on the photosensitive drum from the photosensitive drum, and the photosensitive drum, the charging roller, and the cleaning member. It consists of a cleaning frame.

  The developer (waste toner) scraped off by the cleaning member is temporarily stored in a developer storage portion provided in the cleaning frame. The waste toner in the developer accommodating portion is conveyed in the longitudinal direction of the conveying member by a conveying member having a screw shape provided in the developer accommodating portion, is sent to the developer receiving portion of the apparatus main body, and is installed in the apparatus main body. The product is transported to a collection container (Patent Document 1).

  As a method of assembling the conveying member for conveying the developer in the longitudinal direction to the frame, after inserting the conveying member in the axial direction from the hole provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the frame, the hole is sealed. There exists a structure which fixes the bearing member which has a support part which supports a conveyance member to a frame (patent document 2).

  Further, as one of the assembly methods of units such as a cleaning unit, one based on an automatic machine line using a multi-axis robot or the like is also known.

JP 2001-228771 A JP-A-8-314250

  However, also in Patent Document 2, further improvement on assembly has been required. Moreover, in the automatic machine line, the assembly of the above-mentioned conveyance member may use a line configuration that sandwiches the step of moving between the step of inserting the conveyance member into the frame and the step of attaching the bearing member thereafter. . In the case of such a line configuration, it is necessary to use an apparatus configuration provided with a pressing mechanism or the like so that the transport member does not fall off from a predetermined position during the moving step until the bearing is assembled after inserting the transport member into the frame. was there.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a conveying device, a cleaning device, a developing device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the dropout simply by restricting the developer conveying member within a predetermined range of the conveying path provided in the frame. , And a method of manufacturing the carrier device.

In order to achieve the above object, a conveyance device according to the present invention is a conveyance member for conveying a developer, the rotation shaft, a conveyance portion protruding radially outward from the rotation shaft, and the rotation portion. A frame having a transport member having a first protrusion projecting radially outward from an axis, a transport path in which the transport member is disposed, and a first hole portion into which the transport member can be inserted; And the frame is provided on one end side of the transport direction in which the transport member transports the developer, and the first projection is displaced to the one end side Provided at the other end side of the first projecting portion with respect to the transport direction with respect to the restricting portion for restricting the movement of the first projecting portion to the other end side And a second protrusion for projecting to the inside of the transport path An inclined surface is formed on at least one of the one end side of the first protrusion and the other end of the second protrusion, and the first protrusion is formed on the restriction portion. And a second hole portion having a smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the hole and into which the rotation shaft can be inserted.
Another conveyance device according to the present invention is a conveyance member for conveying a developer, which is directed to the outside of the rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis and the axial direction of the rotation axis. and projecting the transport section, with respect to the perpendicular direction, in front Symbol a first protrusion protruding toward the outside of the rotary shaft, and a conveying member having the frame body transport path provided that the conveying member is disposed And a second hole which is provided in the conveyance path and protrudes inward of the conveyance path in the orthogonal direction, and the conveyance member includes: When moving from the conveyance path toward the first hole along the axial direction, the second projection and the first projection abut each other to restrict movement of the conveyance member. And the first frame with respect to the orthogonal direction. Diameter of the hole, the larger than the diameter of the transport portion and the first projecting portion, when the conveying member is inserted toward the conveying path from the first hole, the first protrusion wherein An inclined surface for guiding the transport member is formed on at least one of the first protrusion and the second protrusion so as to abut on the second protrusion and run onto the second protrusion. The frame includes a second hole on the opposite side of the first hole with respect to the axial direction, the second hole communicating with the transport path and into which the rotation shaft is inserted, and the orthogonal direction The diameter of the second hole may be smaller than the diameter of the first protrusion .

  In addition, a cleaning device, a developing device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention are characterized by including the above-described transport device.

A method of manufacturing a transport apparatus according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing a transport device, the transport device is a conveying member for conveying the developer, a rotary shaft, radially from the rotational axis A transport member having a transport portion projecting outward and a first projecting portion projecting radially outward from the rotation shaft , a transport path in which the transport member is disposed, and the transport member being insertable It has a frame body and a first hole portion, wherein the frame body, the conveying member is provided on one end side in the conveying direction for conveying the developer, the first protrusion wherein A restricting portion for restricting displacement to one end side, and the other end side of the first projecting portion with respect to the transport direction, the first projecting portion being the other end a second projecting portion for restricting the displacement to the side, protruding to the inside of the conveying path And a second projecting portion, was, said one end portion side of the first projecting portion, at least one of the other end side of the second protrusion, the inclined surface is formed, the restricting portion And a second hole whose diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the first protrusion and into which the rotating shaft can be inserted, and the manufacturing method is characterized in that the second protrusion has the second end from the other end side of the second protrusion. There is a first step of bringing a first protrusion into contact with the second protrusion, and a second step of causing the rotation shaft to bend to move the second protrusion over the first protrusion. And the first step is performed in a state where the rotation shaft and the second hole are engaged .

  According to the present invention, the developer conveyance member can be easily regulated within a predetermined range of the conveyance path provided in the frame to prevent the developer from falling off.

It is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of a process cartridge provided with the conveying apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus equipped with a conveyance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of a process cartridge provided with the conveying apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic perspective view of a process cartridge provided with a conveyance device concerning an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial schematic perspective view of a process cartridge including the conveyance device according to the embodiment of the present invention and an image forming apparatus main body. It is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of a process cartridge provided with the conveying apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic fragmentary sectional view of a process cartridge provided with a conveyance device concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic fragmentary sectional view of a process cartridge provided with a conveyance device concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic fragmentary sectional view by the side of one end of a process cartridge provided with a conveyance device concerning an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the other end side of the process cartridge provided with the transport device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the modification regarding a control part.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Image forming device)
First, the entire configuration of an electrophotographic color electrophotographic image forming apparatus will be described using FIG. 2 as an image forming apparatus equipped with a conveyance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2 which is a schematic sectional view, the image forming apparatus 100 forms an image of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) as a plurality of image forming units. First, second, third, and fourth image forming units SY, SM, SC, and SK. In the present embodiment, the first to fourth image forming units SY, SM, SC, and SK are arranged in a line in a direction intersecting the vertical direction (Y1, Y2).

  In the present embodiment, the configuration and operation of the process cartridge 7 (7Y, 7M, 7C, 7K) are substantially the same except that the color of the image to be formed is different. Therefore, hereinafter, Y, M, C, and K will be omitted and they will be generally described, unless distinction is particularly required. That is, in the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 includes, as a plurality of image carriers, four photosensitive drums 1 arranged in parallel in the direction intersecting the vertical direction. A charging roller 2 and a scanner unit (exposure device) 3 are disposed around a photosensitive drum 1 as an image carrier for carrying a developer image.

  Here, the charging roller 2 is a charging unit that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. The scanner unit (exposure device) 3 is an exposure unit that forms an electrostatic image (electrostatic latent image) on the photosensitive drum 1 by irradiating a laser based on image information. Further, around the photosensitive drum 1, a developing device (hereinafter, a developing unit) 4 and a cleaning blade 6 as a cleaning member (cleaning unit) are disposed.

  Further, opposite to the four photosensitive drums 1, an intermediate transfer belt 5 as an intermediate transfer member for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 onto the recording material 12 is disposed.

  In the present embodiment, the developing unit 4 uses a nonmagnetic one-component developer, that is, toner as a developer. Further, in the present embodiment, the developing unit 4 performs contact development by bringing the developing roller 17 as a developer carrier into contact with the photosensitive drum 1.

  In the present embodiment, the photosensitive drum 1, the charging roller 2 as a process means, and the cleaning frame 14 are integrated to form the photosensitive unit 13 shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 86 denotes a waste toner box described later.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the developing unit 4 and the photosensitive unit 13 are integrally formed into a cartridge to form the process cartridge 7. The process cartridge 7 is attachable to and detachable from the image forming apparatus 100 via mounting means such as a mounting guide (not shown) and a positioning member provided in the image forming apparatus main body.

  In the present embodiment, the process cartridges 7 for the respective colors all have the same shape, and in the process cartridges 7 for the respective colors, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (K) The toner of each color is stored.

  The intermediate transfer belt 5 abuts on all the photosensitive drums 1 and rotates in the direction of the arrow B in the drawing. The intermediate transfer belt 5 is stretched around a plurality of support members (a drive roller 51, a secondary transfer opposite roller 52, and a driven roller 53). On the inner circumferential surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 5, four primary transfer rollers 8 as primary transfer means are arranged in parallel so as to face the respective photosensitive drums 1. Further, on the outer peripheral surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 5, a secondary transfer roller 9 as a secondary transfer unit is disposed at a position facing the secondary transfer opposing roller 52.

  At the time of image formation, first, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 2. Next, the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is scan-exposed by a laser beam corresponding to the image information emitted from the scanner unit 3, and an electrostatic latent image according to the image information is formed on the photosensitive drum 1. . Next, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 is developed as a toner image by the developing unit 4. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred (primary transfer) onto the intermediate transfer belt 5 by the action of the primary transfer roller 8 at the transfer portions SY, SM, SC, and SK.

  For example, when forming a full-color image, the above-described processes are sequentially performed in the four process cartridges 7, and toner images of respective colors are sequentially superimposed and primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5. Thereafter, the recording material 12 is conveyed to the secondary transfer portion in synchronization with the movement of the intermediate transfer belt 5. The four-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 5 is secondarily transferred onto the recording material 12 collectively by the action of the secondary transfer roller 9 in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 5 via the recording material 12. Ru.

  The recording material 12 to which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to a fixing device 10 as a fixing unit. In the fixing device 10, heat and pressure are applied to the recording material 12 to fix the toner image on the recording material 12. Further, the primary transfer residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 after the primary transfer process is removed by the cleaning blade 6 and collected as waste toner.

  Further, secondary transfer residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 5 after the secondary transfer process is removed by the intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 11.

  The image forming apparatus 100 can also form single-color or multi-color images using only a desired single or some (not all) image forming portions.

(Process cartridge)
Next, the overall configuration of the process cartridge 7 that can be mounted (insertable into the apparatus main body) in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the process cartridge 7. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the process cartridge 7.

1) Developing Unit In FIG. 3, the developing unit 4 has a developing frame 18 supporting various elements in the developing unit 4. The developing unit 4 is provided with a developing roller 17 as a developer bearing member which is in contact with the photosensitive drum 1 and rotates in the direction of the arrow D (counterclockwise direction). The developing roller 17 is rotatably supported by the developing frame 18 via bearings at both end portions in the longitudinal direction (rotational axis direction).

  Further, the developing unit 4 has a developer storage chamber (toner storage chamber) 18 a and a development chamber 18 b in which the development roller 17 is disposed. In the developing chamber 18b, the toner supply roller 20 as a developer supply member that rotates in the direction of arrow E in contact with the development roller 17 and the development blade 21 as a developer regulation member for regulating the toner layer of the development roller 17 Is arranged.

  Further, in the toner storage chamber 18 a of the developing frame 18, a stirring member 23 for stirring the stored toner and for conveying the toner to the toner supply roller 20 is provided. The developing unit 4 is rotatably coupled to the photosensitive unit 13 about a fitting shaft 24 fixedly supported by the cleaning frame 14. Further, the developing unit 4 is biased by a pressure spring (tension spring) 25. Therefore, during image formation of the process cartridge 7, the developing unit 4 rotates around the fitting shaft 25, and the photosensitive drum 1 and the developing roller 17 abut.

2) Photoreceptor Unit The photoreceptor unit 13 has a cleaning frame 14 as a frame for supporting various elements in the photoreceptor unit 13. The cleaning frame 14 has a cleaning blade 6, a waste toner storage portion 14 a for storing collected transfer residual toner, and a waste toner conveyance member 27. The photosensitive drum 1 is rotatably attached to the cleaning frame 14 via the bearing members 70 and 71 (FIG. 4) in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. Further, the charging roller bearing 15 is attached to the cleaning frame 14 along a line passing through the rotation center of the charging roller 2 and the rotation center of the photosensitive drum 1.

  Here, the charging roller bearing 15 is attached so as to be movable in the arrow C direction shown in FIG. The charging roller 2 is rotatably attached to the charging roller bearing 15. The charging roller bearing 15 is biased toward the photosensitive drum 1 by a charging roller pressure spring 16 as biasing means.

  The cleaning frame 14 is provided with a cleaning blade 6 as a cleaning means for removing the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 (on the image carrier). The cleaning blade 6 is composed of an elastic member 6a which abuts on the photosensitive drum 1 and removes the toner on the photosensitive drum 1, and a supporting metal plate 6b for supporting the elastic member 6a.

  The waste toner removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by the cleaning blade 6 falls in the direction of gravity through the space formed by the cleaning blade 6 and the cleaning frame 14, and is stored in the waste toner storage portion 14a.

  The waste toner storage portion 14a is provided with a conveyance path 14b for conveying the waste toner accommodated inside, and a conveyance screw 27 as a conveyance member is disposed in the conveyance path 14b. The conveying screw 27 is disposed such that the axial direction is parallel to the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 1 and is rotatably mounted by bearing members 70 and 71 (FIG. 4) provided at both ends of the cleaning frame 14 ing.

(Transporter for waste toner transport)
Next, the configuration of a conveyance device that conveys waste toner inside the cleaning frame 14 in the present embodiment will be described using FIGS. 1, 3 and 5. The transport device is a replacement unit that can be inserted into the main body of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of the process cartridge 7, and FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the process cartridge 7 and the main body conveyance unit 80.

  During printing, when the photosensitive drum 1 rotates in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 3, toner (waste toner) remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum after transfer is in contact in the counter direction with respect to the rotational direction It is scraped from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by the cleaning blade 6.

  When the photosensitive drum 1 is further cleaned by repeating the printing operation, the accumulated waste toner is brought into contact with the wall surface in the waste toner storage portion 14a by the powder pressure of the newly scraped waste toner, thereby conveying the sheet. It is guided by the screw 27. The waste toner stored in the waste toner storage portion 14a is directed by the transport screw 27 in the transport path 14b in the direction of the arrow F shown in FIGS. The sheet is conveyed to one end side in the direction of the rotation axis 1

  The waste toner transported in the longitudinal direction (direction of arrow F) by the waste toner transport member 27 is transported by the waste toner transport mechanism 45 provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge as shown in FIG. It is sent to the road 61. Then, the waste toner sent to the conveyance path 61 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow 61Y by the main body side waste toner conveyance member 62 provided inside the conveyance path 61, and finally the waste toner box 86 (FIG. 2) of the apparatus main body. Discharged into

(Assembly process of waste toner conveyance member)
The method of manufacturing the conveyance device in the present embodiment includes an assembly process of the waste toner conveyance member described below. 1 and 6 together with the overall configuration of the conveying screw 27 and the cleaning frame 14 regarding the assembling process of the conveying screw 27 constituting the waste toner conveying member, which is the main part in the present embodiment, to the cleaning frame 14. This will be described with reference to FIG. 6 to 9 are schematic partial cross-sectional views showing the assembling procedure of the transport screw 27 into the cleaning frame 14. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, the conveying direction of the waste toner is shown as the F direction (the bearing member 70 is on the upstream side, and the bearing member 71 is on the downstream side).

  In FIG. 1, in the cleaning frame 14 as a frame having a transport path for transporting the developer, the first hole portion 14c, the second hole portion 14d, and the transport path between them at both ends of the transport path 14b. A protrusion 14 e is provided which protrudes upward in the vertical direction from the inner wall of 14 b. Although a partial ring shape or a rectangular shape is used in the present embodiment as a cross-sectional shape intersecting the transport path of the protrusion 14 e, the present invention is not limited to this.

  The conveying screw 27 as a conveying member for conveying the developer includes a rotating shaft 27a, a screw portion 27b as a conveying portion protruding outward in the radial direction from the rotating shaft 27a, and a fourth protruding outward from the rotating shaft A flange 27e is provided as a single protrusion. The conveying screw 27 is made of a flexible material, and in the present embodiment, is made of an ABS resin.

  The outer diameter of the flange portion 27e (the diameter at which the cross section is not limited to a circular shape but the maximum value in the radial direction) is larger than the outer diameter (diameter) of the rotary shaft 27a, and thus differs from the rotary shaft 27a. In the present embodiment, the outer diameter (diameter) of the flange portion 27e is larger than the outer diameter (diameter) of the screw portion 27b. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the same outer diameter (diameter) may be used.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the first hole portion 14c in the cleaning frame 14 is a hole portion larger than the maximum outside diameter of the transport screw 27b located in the transport path 14b as the transport member. Further, the protruding portion 14e is configured to have a size that protrudes inward of the conveyance path 14b (in the direction of the center of the rotation shaft 27a) than the outer diameter of the flange portion 27e. And the taper parts 14e1 and 27e1 as an inclined surface are provided in the projection part 14e and the flange part 27e, respectively.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, a tapered portion is provided on one end side (left side in the drawing) of the flange portion 27e and on the other end side (right side in the drawing) of the protrusion 14e. In addition, although the case where these two taper parts are provided together is more preferable, it may be only one, and may be provided in at least one.

  Next, assembly of the transport screw 27 to the cleaning frame 14 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 6, the axial tip end portion 27c of the transport screw 27 is inserted from the first hole portion 14c of the cleaning frame 14 in the axial longitudinal direction (direction P). The assembly operation of the transport screw 27 and the cleaning frame 14 will be sequentially described below at a position near the second hole 14 d of the cleaning frame 14 which is a downstream position of insertion.

  When the transport screw 27 is inserted into the cleaning frame 14, the transport screw 27 is inserted into the transport path 14b in the insertion direction (P direction) while the outer diameter portion of the screw portion 27b is guided by the transport path 14b. Go. Then, the axial tip end portion 27c of the transport screw 27 passes through the second hole portion 14d of the cleaning frame 14 shown in the enlarged portion in FIG. As the state is further inserted, the flange portion 27e of the transport screw 27 abuts on the projection 14e of the cleaning frame 14 as shown in FIG. 7 (first step).

  At this time, as described above, the tapered surfaces 27e1 and 14e1 are provided at the contact portions of the flange portion 27e and the projection portion 14e. Then, when the transport screw 27 is further inserted in the insertion direction (P direction), the tapered portion 27e1 of the flange portion 27e of the transport screw 27 rides on the tapered portion 14e1 provided on the protrusion 14e, and the arrow G A load occurs in the direction (FIG. 7).

  Due to this load, as shown in FIG. 8, the rotating shaft 27 a starts to bend with the second hole 14 d as a fulcrum. Then, when the insertion is further performed from that state, the deflection of the transport screw 27 gradually increases, and the flange portion 27e passes over the protrusion 14e (second step). Then, after the protruding portion 14e is sufficiently climbed, the deflection of the rotation shaft 27a is released to bring the conveying screw 27 into the original state, and the assembly to the cleaning frame 14 is completed (FIG. 9). At this time, the flange portion 27e of the transport screw 27 is located within the range of the region k between the second hole portion 14d of the cleaning frame 14 and the projection portion 14e (FIG. 9).

  Here, the second hole portion 14d is provided on one end side in the conveyance direction in which the developer is conveyed, and functions as a restricting portion that restricts the displacement of the flange portion 27e to the one end side. Further, the protrusion 14e is provided on the end side (the other end side) opposite to the one end side with respect to the flange portion 27e, and the displacement of the flange portion 27e to the other end side is Act as a regulatory control unit.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 9, when the clearance between the shaft end 27c and the second hole 14d is S1, and the distance between the end of the protrusion 14e and the outer diameter of the flange 27e is S2, S1 <S2. . That is, the clearance between the diameter at one end of the rotary shaft 27a and the diameter of the first hole (the second hole 14d) is S1, and the tip of the protrusion 14e protrudes inward in the conveyance path in the radial direction. When the distance between the position of the portion and the position of the outer shape of the flange portion 27e is S2, the above-described magnitude relationship is satisfied.

  With such a relationship, the flange portion 27e is regulated in the displacement (movement) of the developer in the transport direction (axial direction) by the second hole 14d and the projection 14e in the transport path 14b. Become. Therefore, even if vibration, inclination or the like occurs when the cleaning frame 14 is moved to the next step, the flange portion 27e can be prevented from passing over the protrusion 14e. That is, it is possible to prevent the conveyance screw 27 from falling off the conveyance path 14 b of the cleaning frame 14.

  In this way, in the assembly configuration of the transport member which is inserted from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction, after the transport member is inserted into the frame, the interval between the assembly of the bearing member for supporting the transport member described below In addition, it is possible to easily prevent the displacement (movement) of the transport member out of the predetermined range.

  Then, after that, the cleaning frame 14 to which the transport screw 27 is attached assembles the bearing members 70 and 71 from both sides (FIG. 9, FIG. 10). At this time, the transport screw 27 engages with the support portions 70a and 71a provided on the bearing members 70 and 71 at both end portions 27c and 27d of the rotation shaft 27a, and is rotatably supported. Positioning of the direction is made. Further, at this time, a seal member (not shown) having elasticity is provided between the cleaning frame 14 and the bearing members 70 and 71 in order to prevent the developer from leaking from the first hole 14c and the second hole 14d. It is good.

  In the present embodiment, the flange portion 27e does not have a spiral surface like the screw portion 27b in order to avoid interference with the protrusion portion 14e during the rotation of the conveying screw 27. Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the flange portion 27e, in the present embodiment, the flange portion 27e is moved relative to the screw portion 27b in the conveying direction of the waste toner (direction F) so as not to cause a problem of deterioration Placed on the most upstream side of the By doing this, it is possible to reduce the amount of waste toner transported to the vicinity of the flange portion 27e and to suppress the influence of the reduction in the transportability of the waste toner.

  As mentioned above, the manufacturing method of the conveying apparatus in this embodiment is represented as follows. That is, the first step of bringing the first protrusion into contact with the second protrusion from the other end side of the second protrusion and bending the rotation shaft so as to obtain the above-described transfer device as a product And a second step of causing the second protrusion to move over the first protrusion.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the frame has a first hole (14c) into which the conveyance member can be inserted at the other end side, and the conveyance member is inserted from the first hole to Perform step 1.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the restricting portion has a second hole (14d) smaller in diameter than the outer shape of the first protrusion and into which the rotation shaft can be inserted, and the rotation shaft and the second hole are In the engaged state, the first step is performed.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the first bearing member (70) engaged with one end (27c) of the rotating shaft positioned closer to the one end than the restricting portion, and the other than the second projecting portion And a second bearing member (71) engaged with the other end of the rotary shaft located on the end side of the second shaft. Then, one end of the rotation shaft is supported by the first bearing member, the other end of the rotation shaft is supported by the second bearing member, and the second bearing member 14c) and a third step of closing the entrance of the first hole.

  In the third step, the inlet of the first hole is closed, but the first hole remains in the sense that the hole is exposed if the second bearing member is removed. It is a thing.

(Modification)
As mentioned above, although the preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary. Incidentally, the functions, materials, shapes and relative positions of components described in the present embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to them unless otherwise specified.

(Modification 1)
In the embodiment described above, the configuration of the waste toner transport member has been described, but the same configuration can be used for the developer transport member provided in the developer storage chamber. That is, the present invention can be applied to a developing device having a developer carrier (developing roller 17) carrying a developer to be supplied to the image carrier (photosensitive drum 1) and the above-mentioned conveying device.

(Modification 2)
In the embodiment described above, 14 d is used as the control unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, a protrusion 14'd similar to the protrusion 27e is provided on the opposite side (upward) in the vertical direction (gravity direction), and the rotation axis 27 is between the protrusion 27e and the protrusion 14'd. Can be positioned within the range of the area k of FIG.

(Modification 3)
In the embodiment described above, the conveyance device including the waste toner conveyance member 27 for conveying the developer is provided in the process cartridge that can be inserted into the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus, but the image forming apparatus does not use the process cartridge. It may be provided in the device body.

14 · · · Cleaning frame body, 14b · · · Transport path, 14d · · · 2nd hole (regulating portion), 14e · · · · · Protrusive portion (second projecting portion) 27 · · · Transport screw, 27a · · · Rotation shaft, 27b · · Screw portion (conveying portion), 27e · · · Flange portion (first projecting portion)

Claims (21)

A conveyance member for conveying a developer, the rotation shaft, a conveyance portion protruding outward in the radial direction from the rotation shaft, and a first projecting portion protruding outward in the radial direction from the rotation shaft A conveying member having
A frame having a transport path in which the transport member is disposed, and a first hole into which the transport member can be inserted;
A transport device having
The frame is
A restricting portion which is provided at one end side of the conveyance direction in which the conveyance member conveys the developer, and restricts displacement of the first projecting portion toward the one end side;
A second protrusion which is provided on the other end side of the first protrusion with respect to the transport direction, and which restricts displacement of the first protrusion to the other end side. A second protrusion projecting to the inside of the transport path;
Have
An inclined surface is formed on at least one of the one end side of the first projecting portion and the other end side of the second projecting portion,
The conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion is provided with a second hole portion smaller in diameter than the outer shape of the first projecting portion and into which the rotation shaft can be inserted. A first bearing member engaged with one end of the rotating shaft positioned closer to the one end than the restricting portion;
A second bearing member engaged with the other end of the rotary shaft positioned closer to the other end than the second projection;
The transport apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: The frame has the first hole on the other end side,
The conveyance device according to claim 2, wherein the second bearing member abuts on the first hole. The clearance between the rotating shaft and the restricting portion in the radial direction is S1, and the position of the tip of the second protruding portion that protrudes inside the conveyance path and the position of the outer shape of the first protruding portion When the distance in the radial direction is S2,
S1 <S2
The transport apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, satisfying the following relationship.   The said conveyance part is provided in the said other edge part side rather than a said 1st protrusion part, The conveyance apparatus as described in any one of the Claims 1 thru | or 4 characterized by the above-mentioned. The conveyance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the conveyance unit includes a spiral surface.   The conveyance apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the one end is upstream in the conveyance direction, and the other end is downstream in the conveyance direction. A transport member for transporting a developer, the rotary shaft, and a transport portion projecting toward the outside of the rotary shaft with respect to the orthogonal direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the rotary shaft, and the front with respect to the orthogonal direction A transport member having a first protrusion projecting toward the outside of the rotation shaft;
A frame provided with a transport path in which the transport member is disposed, the first hole communicating with the transport path, and the transport path being provided in the transport path and directed to the inside of the transport path in the orthogonal direction And the second protrusion and the second protrusion when the transfer member moves from the transfer path toward the first hole along the axial direction. A frame configured to abut against each other to restrict movement of the transport member;
Have
In the orthogonal direction, the diameter of the first hole is larger than the diameters of the transport portion and the first protrusion,
When said carrier member is inserted toward the conveying path from the first hole, the first protrusion is brought into contact with the second protruding portion, and as rides on the second protruding portion, the transport An inclined surface for guiding the member is formed on at least one of the first protrusion and the second protrusion ;
The frame includes a second hole on the opposite side of the first hole in the axial direction, the second hole communicating with the transport path and into which the rotation shaft is inserted.
The conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the second hole is smaller than a diameter of the first protrusion in the orthogonal direction . In the orthogonal direction, when the clearance between the rotation axis and the second hole is S1, and the distance between the tip of the second protrusion and the tip of the first protrusion is S2,
S1 <S2
The transport apparatus according to claim 8 , satisfying the following relationship. A first bearing member supporting one end of the rotary shaft in the axial direction;
The second bearing member which supports the other end of the axis of rotation in the direction of an axis, The conveyance device according to claim 8 or 9 characterized by things. Said second bearing member, the conveying device according to claim 1 0, characterized in that attached to the frame body so as to cover the first hole portion. The conveyance device according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the first protrusion is disposed upstream of the conveyance portion in the conveyance direction in which the conveyance member conveys the developer. . The inclined surface is conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 1 2, characterized in that it is formed on both of the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion. Conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 1 3, characterized in that it is insertable replaceable unit to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus. An image carrier for carrying a developer image;
A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 1 4,
A cleaning device characterized by having: A developer carrier that carries a developer to be supplied to the image carrier;
A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 1 4,
And a developing device characterized by comprising: An image carrier for carrying a developer image;
A developer carrier that carries a developer to be supplied to the image carrier;
A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 1 4,
A process cartridge comprising: An image carrier for carrying a developer image, and a developer carrier for carrying a developer to be supplied to the image carrier;
An exposure device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier;
A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 1 4,
An image forming apparatus comprising: A method of manufacturing a transport device,
The transport device
A conveyance member for conveying a developer, the rotation shaft, a conveyance portion protruding outward in the radial direction from the rotation shaft, and a first projecting portion protruding outward in the radial direction from the rotation shaft A conveying member having
A frame having a transport path in which the transport member is disposed, and a first hole into which the transport member can be inserted;
The frame is
A restricting portion which is provided at one end side of the conveyance direction in which the conveyance member conveys the developer, and restricts displacement of the first projecting portion toward the one end side;
A second protrusion which is provided on the other end side of the first protrusion with respect to the transport direction, and which restricts displacement of the first protrusion to the other end side. A second protrusion projecting to the inside of the transport path;
Have
An inclined surface is formed on at least one of the one end side of the first projecting portion and the other end side of the second projecting portion,
The restriction portion is provided with a second hole portion smaller in diameter than the outer shape of the first protrusion portion and into which the rotation shaft can be inserted.
The manufacturing method is
A first step of bringing the first protrusion into contact with the second protrusion from the other end side of the second protrusion;
A second step of bending the rotating shaft to move the second protrusion over the first protrusion;
Have
A method of manufacturing a transfer device, wherein the first step is performed in a state in which the rotation shaft and the second hole are engaged. The frame has the first hole on the other end side,
20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the first step is performed by inserting the conveyance member from the first hole. A first bearing member engaged with one end of the rotating shaft positioned closer to the one end than the restricting portion;
A second bearing member engaged with the other end of the rotary shaft positioned closer to the other end than the second projection;
Have
One end of the rotating shaft is axially supported by the first bearing member, the other end of the rotating shaft is axially supported by the second bearing member, and the second bearing member is the first shaft. 21. The method of manufacturing a transfer device according to claim 19 , further comprising a third step of contacting the opening of the first opening and closing the entrance of the first opening.