JPH01167765A - Process cartridge for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily take out a sub cartridge by opening a cover member on a main cartridge side and releasing the specified pressurizing to a developing means on the sub cartridge side at the time of taking out the sub cartridge. CONSTITUTION:As to the compound PC (process) cartridge A, the sub cartridge 3 can be taken out just by opening a cover 38 and the sub cartridge 3 can be set, that means, it is positioned and pressurized to be held, by inserting the sub cartridge 3 into the main cartridge along a guide groove 46 and covering the cover 38 in case of incorporating the sub cartridge 3. Therefore, the attaching and detaching of the sub cartridge 3 to the main cartridge is very simple and easy. Since the sub cartridge 3 is housed in the main cartridge, the handling of the PC cartridge A is not inferior to that of a single type PC cartridge where a sub cartridge does not exist. Thus, the attaching and detaching operation of the sub cartridge becomes very simple and easy.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention is applicable to image forming apparatuses such as electrophotographic devices, electrostatic recording devices, and laser beam printers (LBPs), and more particularly to image forming apparatuses with a removable process cartridge type. The present invention relates to a process cartridge (hereinafter referred to as a PC cartridge).

[Conventional technology]

An image forming apparatus with a removable PC cartridge is equipped with specific equipment out of all the process equipment for image formation, such as a latent image holder (electrophotographic photoreceptor, electrostatic recording dielectric, etc.), a charger,
It is a device in which a developing device, a cleaning device, etc. are assembled together in a common housing (frame) as a unit that can be freely attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus in a predetermined mutual positional relationship. .

Regarding the latent image holder and the developing device contained in the PC cartridge, if the latent image holder reaches the end of its durability (repeated use life), or if the developer stored in a predetermined amount in the developing device (
When the toner (toner) is used up or malfunction occurs due to malfunction, etc., the user should remove the PC cartridge that has reached the end of its usable life or has malfunctioned from the image forming apparatus, and install a new PC cartridge. The image forming apparatus is installed and used interchangeably, and there is no need to rely on service personnel with specialized knowledge, improving the maintainability and serviceability of the image forming apparatus. Also, some image forming apparatuses can be used multifunctionally by preparing a plurality of PC cartridges with different functions such as developing colors and installing the PC cartridge of the desired device into the main body of the image forming apparatus. It has advantages such as making it possible to perform the following operations, and has already been put into practical use as one of the configuration methods for, for example, a personal type small-sized and lightweight image forming apparatus.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, currently, computer facsimile CAL1
Electrostatic recording printers using electrophotography are often used as printers for terminal devices of information equipment such as the following.

These printers use laser beams to transmit information signals to LEDs.
- A recorded image is obtained through the process of writing on a photosensitive drum as an electrostatic latent image holder using an LCD, etc., converting it into a visible image using a developing device, and transferring and fixing the visible image onto transfer paper. In some printers, the recorded image was, for example, only one color, black.

However, in recent years, recorded images have become clearer and information has become easier to understand, so for example, the color of the format and the color of the calculated value or data value are expressed in different colors, or It is desired that the drawings be distinguished using two or more colors, such as outputting a part of a drawing in a different color.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an example of a two-color recording type electrophotographic printer. That is, as an electrostatic latent image holder, a drum-shaped electrophotographic photoreceptor (hereinafter referred to as a photoreceptor drum) 101, which is formed by coating a photoconductive layer on a conductive substrate, is rotatably provided. A first information signal 103 is uniformly charged by a first charger 102, and then a first information signal 103 is generated by a light emitting element (not shown) as an information writing means such as a laser.
is exposed to light to form a first electrostatic latent image, and the latent image is visualized by a first developing device 104 (for example, a black developing device).

Thereafter, the second charger 105 charges the electricity again, and similarly, a light emitting element such as a laser is used to expose the second information signal 106 to form a second WI image, and the latent image is transferred to the second developing device. 107 (for example, a red developing device), the black recorded image and red recorded image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 101 are transferred to a transfer paper P by a transfer device 109, and further fixed by a fixing device 110. As a result, a two-color print is output.

Further, the developer (toner) remaining after transfer on the photosensitive drum 101 is cleaned and removed by a cleaning device 111, and the photosensitive drum 101 is repeatedly used for image formation.

In the case of such a device, the photosensitive drum lot, the first and second
Chargers 102 and 105, first and second developing devices 104-1
07. To obtain the above-mentioned advantages of the PC cartridge attachment/detachment method by collectively converting the cleaning device 111 and the like into a PC cartridge that can be freely attached and detached from the printer body (image forming apparatus body) at the user's side. Can be done.

However, in devices that perform multicolor printing, the amount of toner (developer) consumed by each color developing device is different.
Incorporating each developing device into the same PC cartridge means that if the toner in one developing device is used up, the other developing devices will still be able to use the PC cartridge even though there is still enough toner remaining. Since the entire cartridge must be replaced with a new one, the useful value of the PC cartridge itself is halved.

In addition, for users who usually print only one color image such as black in most cases, and print other color images only for special purposes, it is recommended that two developing devices be installed in the same PC cartridge. Providing several types of each color becomes expensive.

Therefore, in such a case, the PC cartridge is a dual-type PC cartridge consisting of a main cartridge and one or more sub-cartridges that can be freely attached to and detached from the main cartridge.
The sub-cartridge is configured as a C cartridge, and the sub-cartridge is equipped with a developing device, and when the developing device runs out of toner or when it is desired to change the developing color, only the sub-cartridge is replaced with a new one, or a developing device of another developing color is installed. If the system is replaced with a new one, the above-mentioned problems will be solved.

However, since the attachment/detachment of the sub-cartridge to/from the main cartridge must be performed by an operator on the user side without specialized knowledge, the configuration must be such that the attachment/detachment is easy and error-free.

In addition, when the main cartridge with the sub-cartridge attached thereto is used by being attached to the main body of a device such as a printer, the position of the developing device of the sub-cartridge with respect to the photosensitive drum is accurately and stably maintained at a predetermined relative position. Must.

In other words, the sub-cartridge containing the developing device can be easily attached to and removed from the main cartridge, and when the main cartridge is attached to the main body of a device such as a printer, the developing device of the sub-cartridge attached to the main cartridge can be moved to a predetermined and accurate position. A conflicting main cartridge-subcartridge configuration must be used to ensure that the cartridge is held in place.

Further, while the sub-cartridge including the developing device can be easily attached to and removed from the main cartridge, the main cartridge itself needs to be easy to replace and handle with respect to the main body of the printer or the like.

The present invention satisfies the above requirements and provides a dual PC cartridge consisting of a main cartridge and a sub-cartridge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a process cartridge that incorporates necessary image forming process equipment and is detachable from the main body of an image forming apparatus. consists of a main cartridge that can be attached to and removed from the image forming apparatus main body, and one or more sub-cartridges that are detachably attached to the main cartridge and have at least a developing means, and the main cartridge has a sub-cartridge support means and a sub-cartridge side. A process for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a pressure means for pressurizing the developing means to hold it in a predetermined position with respect to a latent image holding member on the main cartridge side; and an openable/closable cover member for protecting the sub-cartridge. It's a cartridge.

[For production]

That is, in the operation of attaching and detaching the sub-cartridge including the developing means (developing device) to the main cartridge, when the sub-cartridge is taken out, the predetermined pressure applied to the developing means on the sub-cartridge side is released by opening the cover member on the main cartridge side. , the sub-cartridge can then be easily removed.

To install the sub-cartridge, insert the sub-cartridge into the main cartridge through the open part of the cover member of the main cartridge, and then close the cover member so that the developing means on the sub-cartridge side is pressed against the latent image holding member on the main cartridge side by the pressure means. It is stably held in place under pressure and becomes properly installed, completing the installation.

Therefore, the operation of attaching and detaching the sub-tridge to and from the main cartridge is very simple and easy, and even an operator on the user side who has no specialized knowledge of the configuration of an image forming apparatus can always handle the PC cartridge reliably without erroneous operation.

In addition, the sub-cartridge is usually completely housed within the main cartridge, and the sub-cartridge is protected by closing the cover member, providing excellent handling similar to that of a single PC cartridge. have.

〔Example〕

Embodiment 1 (Figs. 1 to 6) Fig. 5 shows a two-color recording laser beam printer using a dual PC cartridge configured according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of LBP.

(1) Operation of the printer A is a PC cartridge that is installed in a predetermined position and in a predetermined posture within the printer body. The PC cartridge A of this example includes a photosensitive drum 1, a first charger 2, a color developing device 3,
6 of the second charger 4, silent image device 5, and cleaning device 6
It includes two process equipment. Of the six process devices 1 to 6 above, 5 other than color developing device 3
The main cartridge includes three process devices 1, 2, 4, and 5, and the color developing device 3 is a sub-cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main cartridge.This will be described later. do.

Based on the print start signal, the photosensitive V-ram 1 is rotated clockwise as indicated by the arrow at a predetermined circumferential speed, and its circumferential surface is uniformly charged by the first charger 2, and then output from the laser scanner 7. The scanning exposure of the laser beam Ll corresponding to the first image information signal is received through the mirrors 8 and 9 and the first slit window hole 51 provided in the cartridge housing 25. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the first image information signal is formed on the surface of the rotating photosensitive drum 1, and the latent image is developed with color toner by the color developing device 3 containing, for example, red toner.

The surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged again by the second charger 4, and then scanning exposure of the laser beam L2 corresponding to the second image information signal output from the laser scanner 7 is applied to the mirror 10I111 and the cartridge housing 25. It is received through a second slit window hole 52 provided in the. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the second image information signal is formed, and the latent image is developed with black toner by the silent image device 5.

As a result, a two-color toner image consisting of a color toner developed image corresponding to the first image information signal and a black toner developed image corresponding to the second image information signal is formed on the surface of the rotating photosensitive drum.

On the other hand, a sheet of transfer paper P is fed out one by one by a paper feed roller 13 from inside the paper feed force set 12, is fed to a pair of registration rollers 16 via guide plates 14 and 15, and is exposed to light by the pair of registration rollers 16. By being synchronized with the rotation of the drum 1 and being fed to the facing portion (image transfer portion) between the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer charger 17, an image is formed on the surface of the fed transfer paper on the photosensitive drum 1 side. The above two-color toner images are sequentially transferred.

The transfer paper that has passed through the image transfer section is separated from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 and introduced into the fixing device 19 by the conveying device 18, where the transferred toner image is fixed, and then the paper is transferred to a guide plate 20, a pair of paper ejection rollers 21,
The paper is outputted as a two-color print via the paper ejection port 22 to the paper ejection tray 23.

After the image has been transferred, the surface of the photosensitive drum is cleaned by a cleaning device 6 to remove residual toner and other contaminants.
It is subjected to image formation repeatedly.

The front side of the printer of this example is the right end side in FIG. It can be folded open and operated freely. Guide plates 14 and 15, a pair of registration rollers 16, a transfer charger 17, and a conveyance device 18 are arranged and held inside the printer front plate 24, and by folding and opening the printer front plate 24, the interior of the printer is wide open. Ru.

To install the PC cartridge A into the printer, open the printer front plate 24, store it in a predetermined position on the inner surface of the front plate 24 facing upward, and hold it in a predetermined position using a locking means (not shown). let Then, by closing the printer front plate 24 against the printer main body and locking it open with a locking means, the PC cartridge A is installed at a predetermined position in the printer main body in a predetermined attitude as shown in FIG. becomes. Removal of the PC cartridge A is performed by reversing the above procedure.

(2) PC cartridge A (Figures 1 to 4) Figure 1 shows the PC
A sectional view of the main parts of cartridge A, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pressurizing mechanism, and FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of PC cartridge A.
FIG. 4 shows a procedure for attaching and detaching the sub-cartridge.

The PC cartridge A of this example includes six process devices: a photosensitive drum 1, a first charger 2, a color developing device 3, a second charger 4, a black developer 5, and a cleaning device 6.
5 process equipment other than color development device 3!・2・4・5
6 constitutes a main cartridge, and the color developing device 3 is a duplex PC cartridge that can be freely attached to and detached from the main cartridge as a sub-cartridge.

Mainly in FIG. 1, 25φ26 is the housing and reinforcing stay of the main cartridge, and inside the housing 25 are the photosensitive drum 1, the first charger 2, the second charger 4, and the like.
Clueless vision device 5/cleaning device! ! 6 are assembled and housed in a predetermined mutual positional relationship.

The rotation center axis IA of the photosensitive drum 1 is supported by bearings between the left and right side plates 27-27 of the housing 25. The first and second chargers 2-4 are mounted and supported by immovable members (not shown).

The black developing device M5 has support pin insertion holes 5a symmetrically provided at predetermined positions on the left and right side plates thereof, and support pin insertion holes 5a provided oppositely at predetermined surface positions on the left and right side plates 27 of the housing 25. Insert the support pins 28 from the outside respectively, and fit their tips into the left and right support pin insertion holes 5a on the heat developing device 5 side. It is prevented from being removed by fixing it to the outer surface with screws 28b. Therefore, the silent image device 5 is supported between the left and right side plates 27 of the housing 25 so as to be able to swing freely around the left and right support bins 28. .

Spring hook pins 5b are symmetrically provided at predetermined positions on the left and right side plates of the visual imaging device 5, and the left and right side plates 27 of the housing 25 are provided with spring hook pins 5b.
Spring hooks 29 are provided oppositely at predetermined positions on the inner surfaces of the -27, and the spring hooks on the left and right pairs of visual imager and /\Using side plates are provided with tension springs 30 between the pins 5b and 29, respectively. is set up. Therefore, the silent image device 5 receives a rotation bias force from the tension spring 30 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1 is maintained in a predetermined pressure contact state at all times.

The cleaning device 6 has a cleaning blade 6A, whose tip edge portion is always pressed against the photosensitive drum 1 at a predetermined level.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a pressurizing arm stand fixed to an immovable member such as the outer surface of the partition wall of the cleaning device 6; 33 is the pressurizing arm stand 31;
A pressurizing arm 35 is provided to be freely rotatable about a shaft 32, and 35 is a spring-loaded stand fixed to an immovable member such as the outer surface of the partition wall of the cleaning device 6 at the rear of the pressurizing arm stand 31.
The spring hook 7 is a pressure spring stretched between a pin 36 on the side of the stand 35 and a pin 34 on the side of the pressure arm 33. One set of pressurizing arm mechanisms consisting of such members 31 to 37 are provided on the left and right sides of the nozzle fitting 25.

Reference numeral 38 denotes a cartridge opening/closing lid (a cover member that protects the attached sub-cartridge) which is a part of the housing 25.
The opening/closing lid 38 and the left and right pressure arm mechanisms are related to each other as shown in the second figure. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 39 indicates a lid 3 protruding from the back side of the opening/closing lid 38.
The overhanging lug 8 and 40 and 41 are two shaft insertion holes provided above and below on the lug surface. The pressure arm rotating shaft 32 on the pressure arm stand 31 side is extended, and its extended end 32a is fitted into the defective shaft insertion hole 41 of the lug 39 on the lid 38 side. It can be freely rotated to open and close around the extended shaft end 32a.

The spring hook on the pressure arm 33 side extends the pin 34, and its extended end 34a is fitted into the upper shaft insertion hole 40 of the lug 39 on the lid 38 side.

The chain hole 40 has a larger diameter than the extension shaft end 34a inserted therein.

42 (Fig. 1) is an elastic lock claw provided on the upper side of the opening/closing lid 38, which elastically engages with the lid opening/closing opening edge 25a of the cartridge housing 25 to close the lid (Figs. 1 and 3). is retained. By bending the locking claw 42 against elasticity and releasing the locking claw from the opening edge 25a, the lid 2
8 can be operated by opening outward about the shaft 32a (FIG. 4).

The color developing device 3 as a sub-cartridge is provided with an insertion/removal guide bin 43 and a pressure receiving bin 44 symmetrically on its left and right side surfaces, respectively. Further, a shutter plate 45 is provided as a cover member for protecting the externally exposed surface (the surface facing the photoreceptor 1) of the developing sleeve 3A. The shutter plate 45 can freely rotate to open and close relative to the externally exposed surface of the developing sleeve 3A about a shaft 45a, and is always urged to rotate in the closing direction by a biasing spring 45b (FIG. 4). 45C is a shutter lever integrated with the shutter plate 45, and 45.d is an outwardly protruding pin integrated with the lever.

46 (Fig. 304) is a notched guide groove for guiding the insertion and removal of the sub-cartridge, which is provided symmetrically on the left and right side plates 27, 27 of the main cartridge housing 25. The insertion/removal guide bin 43 corresponds to this.

48 (Fig. 1) is the housing 25 of the main cartridge.
These cam members are symmetrically provided on the inner surfaces of the left and right side plates 27, 27, respectively, and the bin 45d of the shutter lever 45C on the color developing device 3 side corresponds to this cam member.

(3) Insertion and removal operation of sub-cartridge FIG. 1 shows a state in which the color developing device 3 as a sub-cartridge is properly installed in the main cartridge.

In this state, the lid 38 is sufficiently closed and the closed state is stably maintained by the engagement between the lock claw 42 and the opening edge 25a.

The insertion/removal guide bins 43 of the three developing devices are engaged with the notched guide grooves 46 on the main cartridge side (FIG. 3).

The pin 45d of the shack lever 45c rides on the L surface of the cam member 48, and the lever 45c moves to the shaft 45.
By being rotated clockwise around point a against the spring 45b, the developing sleeve 3A is held in a position where it is fully opened and rotated downward from the front side of the developing sleeve 3A.

The pressure arm 33 is urged to rotate clockwise around the shaft 32 by the pressure spring 37, and its tip end surface 33a abuts against the pressure receiving bottle 44 on the color developing device 3 side (Figs. 1 and 2). The pressure receiving bottle 44 is pressed to the right. That is, the color developing device 3, which is a sub-cartridge, is urged toward the photosensitive drum 1. As a result, the developing sleeve 3A of the color developing device 3 or the spacer rollers (not shown) at both ends thereof are always kept in a predetermined pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 1. In other words, the color developing device 3 as a sub-cartridge is always stably held under pressure at a predetermined position relative to the photosensitive drum on the main cartridge side.

To attach or detach the sub-cartridge from the main cartridge, take out the cartridge A from inside the printer in which the cartridge A is installed in the manner described in FIGS. Place it on a work table, table, etc. with the side facing up.

Then, the lower claw 42 of the lid 38 is bent against elasticity to disengage from the opening edge 25a, and the rotation center axis 3 of the lid 38 is bent.
Open and rotate by hand centering on 2a (Fig. 2). At the beginning of the opening rotation, when the lid is opened and rotated by the amount of play due to the diameter difference between the shaft hole 40 on the lid side shown in FIG. 2 and the extended shaft end 34a on the pressurizing arm side fitted therein, the lid 38 opens. The rotation operation is resisted by the pressure spring 37. When the lid 38 is further opened and rotated against the resistance of the pressure spring 37, the pressure arm is rotated together with the lid 38 around the shaft 32 in the same counterclockwise direction as the opening rotation direction of the lid. . This rotation of the pressure arm 33 causes the distal end surface 33a of the pressure arm 33 to separate from the pressure receiving bin 44 on the side of the color developing device 3 as a sub-cartridge, so that the pressurizing effect on the color developing device 3 is released.

The lid 38 is continuously moved to open against the pressure spring 37, and the spring hooks on both ends of the pressure spring 37 are at a position where the three pins 34 and 36 and the rotation center axis 32 of the pressure arm 33 are aligned in a straight line. When the pressure arm 33 reaches the lower side of the shaft 32, the pressure arm 33 is actively rotated counterclockwise around the shaft 32 by the tensile force of the pressure spring 37, and is received by a stopper (not shown). It rotates automatically until it is stopped and is held in the position received by the stopper. That is, from now on, even if the lid 38 is released, the lid 38 will not return and rotate, but will remain in the fully opened and rotated state shown in FIG. 4.

Then, grab the color developing device 3 as a sub-cartridge from inside the main cartridge and lift it upwards to pull it out. During this extraction process, the pin 45d of the shutter lever 45c on the color developing device 3 side comes off the cam member 48 and the edge is cut. The shirt flap plate 45 is rotated closed around the shaft 45a by the spring 45b, and the externally exposed surface of the developing sleeve 3A is automatically closed by the shirt flap plate 45 (FIG. 4).

Next, the color developing device 3 as a new sub-cartridge or the color developing device 3 as a sub-cartridge containing the required color developer is inserted into the main cartridge. In the color developing device 3 in public, the shutter plate 45 is in the closed state, with the shirt flap side facing downward, and the insertion/removal guide bins 43 on both the left and right sides of the color developing device 3 are inserted into the guide grooves 46 on the main cartridge side, respectively. Correspondingly engage and insert into the main cartridge. During the insertion process, the shutter lever 45
By guiding the pin 45d of c to the upper surface of the cam member 48, the shutter lever 45c, that is, the shutter plate 45, is automatically rotated sufficiently clockwise around the shaft 45a against the spring 45b.

Next, the lid 38 (FIG. 4), which is in the open state, is initially rotated to close against the pressure spring 37. During the rotation process, when the pressure spring 37 exceeds the rotation center axis 32 of the pressure arm 33 and becomes above it, the tensile force of the pressure spring 37 causes the pressure arm 33 to rotate around the axis 32. A positive rotation urging force in the direction acts, and the lid 38 automatically closes and rotates together with the pressurizing arm 33. The pressure arm 33 has its distal end surface 33 a in contact with the pressure receiving bottle 44 of the inserted color developing device 3 and presses the pressure receiving bottle 44 . That is, the inserted color developing device 3 is pressurized in the direction of the photosensitive drum 1, and the developing sleeve 3A of the color developing device or the spacer rollers on both ends thereof are always kept in a predetermined pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 1. .

Next, lightly press the lock claw 42 of the lid 38 to open the opening 1ik2.
5 Engage with a. This completes the installation of the sub-cartridge 3, and the PC cartridge A is in the same state as shown in FIG.

In state S (Figures 1 and 2) where the sub cartridge 3 is attached to the main cartridge, the shaft 34 on the pressure mechanism side
a (Fig. 2) shows the shaft hole 4 on the lid 38 side into which it is fitted and engaged.
0 (the diameter of the shaft hole 40 is larger than the diameter of the shaft 34a), therefore, the entire force of the pressure spring 37 acts as a pressure force on the color developing device 3 as a sub-cartridge.

Therefore, there is no trouble in deforming the lid 38 due to the spring force of the pressure spring 37 being transmitted to the lid 38, and there is no problem in unlocking the lid 38.

In addition, when the sub-cartridge 3 is attached to the main cartridge, the dimensions between the inner surfaces of the left and right side plates 27-27 of the housing 25 of the main cartridge and the left and right insertion/removal guide bins 43 of the color developing device 3 as the sub-cartridge are determined.
- (43) The root-to-root dimensions are almost the same, so that the sub-cartridge 3 is stably held without shifting or wobbling in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum l.

In the duplex PC cartridge A of this embodiment, the sub-cartridge 3 can be taken out simply by opening the lid 38, and when assembling, the sub-cartridge 3 is inserted into the main cartridge along the guide groove 46, and then the lid 38 is opened. Just by closing the sub-cartridge 3, the sub-cartridge 3 is set, that is, positioned, and its pressure is maintained. Therefore, attaching and detaching the sub cartridge 3 to and from the main cartridge is very simple and easy. Also, since sub cartridge 3 is housed inside the main cartridge, PC cartridge A
The handleability of the cartridge is also not inferior to that of a single-type PC cartridge without sub-cartridges.

The shutter member 45 for protecting the developing device automatically opens and closes in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the developing device 3, which is a sub-cartridge, to and from the main cartridge.

The operator can attach and detach the sub-cartridge without being aware of this shutter member.

The sub-cartridge itself is also easy to handle since the parts of the removed sub-cartridge that are not allowed to be directly touched by the operator and the parts that are easily soiled are hidden by the shutter member.

■, Example 2 (Figs. 7 and 8) Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the PC cartridge A of the second embodiment, Fig. 8
The figure is an external perspective view. Components and parts that are the same as those of the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

In this example, the color developing device 3 and the second charger 4 are combined to form a sub-cartridge 60.

Reference numeral 61 denotes sub-cartridge guides 62, each of which is attached to the outside from the left and right side plates of the sub-cartridge.
are a pair of rails provided on the opening/closing lid 38; a sub-cartridge guide 61 is inserted into these rails 62, and the sub-cartridge 60 is removably attached to the opening/closing lid 38.

63 (Fig. 8) is a side lock provided on both sides of the opening/closing lid 38, and the convex part in the center is connected to the cartridge side plate 27, 2.
7 (not shown), respectively, and the lid 38 is fixed in a closed state. 64 is a handle provided on the sub-cartridge 60.

Next, the process of attaching and detaching the sub-cartridge 60 will be explained step by step. First, take out the cartridge A from the printer main body, place it on a desk, etc. as shown in FIG. 4, and lightly open the side lock 63 to open the lid 38.

When the lid 38 is opened, the sub-cartridge 60 rotates around the shaft 32a integrally with the lid 38 because the sub-cartridge guide 61 is inserted into the rail 62. Also, the operator initially opens the lid 38 against the force of the pressure spring 37. When the pressure spring 37 exceeds the position where the shafts 36 and 32ψ34 are in a straight line, the force of the pressure spring 37 causes the pressure arm 33 to move in the direction of opening the lid 38, so that the pressure arm 33 is automatically removed. Pressurization is released.

This state is shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 7. Next, the operator can take out the sub-cartridge 60 by holding the handle 64 and pulling out the sub-cartridge 60 in the direction of the arrow.

To set the sub-cartridge 600, just reverse the above-mentioned order. First, hold the handle 64 of the sub-cartridge 60,
Insert the cartridge and the guide 61 along the rails 62. If you close the opening/closing lid 38, the lid 38 and the sub-cartridge 60 move together, and the sub-cartridge 60
is pressurized by the pressurizing arm 33 and held at a predetermined position. Further, when the convex portion of the side lock 63 enters the hole in the cartridge side plate, the lid 38 is locked.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, attachment and detachment of the sub-cartridge 60 is very simple, and the opening/closing lid 38 and the sub-cartridge 60 move together, so that the sub-cartridge 60 is removed from the main cartridge.
It is easy to operate because it takes out and inserts.

Also, when replacing the sub cartridge 60 with a new one, the second
Since the charging base 4 is also replaced at the same time, there is also the effect that charging is always stable and reliable.

(2) Embodiment 3 (FIG. 9) Components that are the same as those of the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and repeated explanations will be omitted.

Reference numeral 70 denotes a pressure leaf spring, which is fixed approximately at the center of the opening/closing lid 38. When the opening/closing lid 38 is closed, the pressure leaf spring 70
pushes the back side of the color developing device 3 as a sub-cartridge as shown by the two-dot chain line, and the developing sleeve 3A is pressed against the photosensitive drum 1 with a predetermined force. Further, the pressure plate spring 70 is attached to the approximately center of the opening/closing lid 38 and presses approximately the center of the sub-cartridge 3, so that it is possible to apply pressure evenly in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum 1. Furthermore, since the pressurizing mechanism of the sub-cartridge 3 is simple, costs can also be reduced. In addition, the operation for attaching and detaching the sub-cartridge 3 may be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
Simple and easy.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the duplex PC cartridge of the present invention is as follows.

The sub-cartridge attachment/detachment operation is extremely simple and easy, and anyone can always handle the PC cartridge reliably without making any mistakes.It fully satisfies the above requirements and successfully achieves the intended purpose. be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the PC cartridge of the first embodiment,
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the pressurizing mechanism, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the external appearance of the PC cartridge, Figure 4 is a diagram showing how to attach and remove the sub-cartridge, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the LBP with the PC cartridge installed, Figure 6 is Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the PC cartridge of the second embodiment, Figure 8 is a perspective view of the external appearance, and Figure 9 is a diagram of the PC cartridge of the third embodiment with the opening/closing lid open. FIG. 1O is a schematic diagram of the configuration of an example of a two-color printer. A is the overall code of the PC cartridge, l is the photosensitive drum, 2
3 is a first charger, 3 is a color developing device as a sub-cartridge, 4 is a second charger, 5 is an ignored image device, 6 is a cleaning device, 33 is a pressure arm, and 37 and 70 are pressure springs.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A process cartridge that incorporates necessary image forming process equipment and is detachable from the main body of an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge being detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus. The main cartridge is composed of a main cartridge and one or more sub-cartridges that are detachably attached to the main cartridge and have at least a developing means. Pressure means for holding the latent image holding member in a predetermined position;
A process cartridge for an image forming apparatus, comprising an openable and closable cover member that protects a sub-cartridge. 2. The pressure means operates in conjunction with the opening/closing operation of the cover member, and when the cover member is opened, the sub-cartridge is opened, and when the cover member is closed, the pressure means is used to apply the developing material on the sub-cartridge side. The process cartridge for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means is held under pressure at a predetermined position relative to the latent image holding member on the main cartridge side. 3. The sub-cartridge has an openable and closable cover member that protects the surface of the developing member that acts on the latent image holder;
The process of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main cartridge side has a member related to the cover member, and the cover member is opened and closed in conjunction with the attachment/detachment operation of the sub-cartridge to/from the main cartridge. cartridge.