JPH02201393A - Toner replenishing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To hold a large amount of toner in an image forming device on the whole by constituting the toner supplying device which supplies toner to the toner supply part of a developing device by toner supplementation parts equipped with emptiness detecting means and using them in a specific cycle. CONSTITUTION:The developing device 3 consists of a development part 4 which supplies the toner to an electrostatic latent image and the toner supply part 5 which supplies the toner to the development part 4. In the toner supply part 5, a controller 19 detects the surface level of stored toner decreasing below a specific determined level. The toner supplementing device 6 consists of the three toner supplementation parts 10 (10a, 10b and 10c) which have the same shape and structure. Then the toner supplementation parts 10 are driven in constant order and, for example, when the toner supplementation part 10a being driven detects toner emptiness by its toner emptiness detecting means 17, the next toner supplementation part 10b supplies toner to the toner supply part 5. Consequently, a large amount of toner can be held in a copying machine 1 on the whole.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a device for replenishing toner into a toner replenishing section attached to a developing device such as a copying machine using electrophotography.

[Prior art and its issues]

In recent years, the frequency of use of copying machines, printers, etc. has become extremely high, and it is not uncommon for a single machine to make 40,000 to 50,000 copies.

However, there are generally about 700 copy machines, etc.
Since the configuration is such that it can only accommodate about 1.5 oz. of toner, it is necessary to replenish toner frequently in places where large quantities of copies are made as described above.

Therefore, the image forming apparatus in the place where mass copying is performed is
It is desirable to have a configuration that can accommodate as much toner as possible.

Specifically, if it can hold about 2 kg of toner, there will be no need to replenish toner for about a month, and the task of replenishing toner can be left to experienced service personnel, thereby eliminating the need for the user to replenish toner. It is also possible.

However, if a large amount of toner (approximately 2 kg) is stored in one container, the toner at the bottom of the container may solidify.
It is necessary to provide a stirring device to mix and stir the toner.

Furthermore, since the toner pressure applied to the toner conveying blades provided at the bottom of the container increases, a high-output motor is required to drive the toner conveying blades. In this case, the motor, the optical system,
If the photoreceptor and paper transport system motors are driven at the same time, the power consumption will exceed the allowable value, so it is impossible to replenish toner while forming an image.

Furthermore, as the container becomes larger, it becomes difficult to accurately detect the remaining amount of toner, which may lead to a delay in toner replenishment and the creation of defective images with low density.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 showing one embodiment. a conveying means (] 3.15, etc.) for conveying the toner to the toner replenishing section (5) of the developing device (3);
1) a plurality of toner replenishing units (10a,
10b, 10c) and the rattoner replenishing part (10a, 1
0b, 10c) in a predetermined order based on the signal from the empty detection means (17), for example, 10a→
Control means (19
).

[Effect]

According to the configuration described below, the toner replenishing section (10a).

10b, 10c) in a certain order (10a → 10b-i
For example, the toner replenishing unit (lO
If the toner empty detection means (17) detects toner empty in a), the next toner replenishing section (10
Toner is supplied to the toner supply section (5) from b).

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a copying machine using electrophotographic copying method;
2 is a photosensitive drum, 3 is a developing device, and 6 is a toner replenishing device according to the present invention.

The developing device 3 generally includes a developing section 4 that supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 2, and a toner replenishing section 5 that supplies 1-the- to the developing section 4. It is made up of. The toner replenishing section 5 is provided with a detection plate 21 that operates while following the surface level of the stored toner, and when the detection plate 21 falls below a predetermined level, a sensor 22 is activated and the sensor 22 is activated. The state is control device 1
9 is detected.

The toner replenishing device 6 is located away from the developing device 3 and includes three toner replenishing units 10 (
10a, 1ob, 10c).

In the toner replenishing section 10, a hopper 11 has an openable cover 12 at the top and a toner transport pipe 13 at the bottom. This toner transport pipe 13 extends above the developing device 3, and the toner supply port 14 at the tip faces the toner receiving port 23 of the toner replenishing section 5. Further, a spiral 15 is arranged in the toner transport pipe 13 and the hopper 11, and this spiral 15 is driven by a motor 16 driven by a control device 19.
It is designed so that it rotates as well. Furthermore, hopper 11
A pressure sensor 17 is provided at the bottom and a lamp 18 is provided at the top, both of which are electrically connected to the control device 9.

In the copying machine equipped with the above configuration, toner is consumed by the photosensitive drum 2 from the developing device 3, and when the amount of toner in the developing section 4 decreases, toner is replenished from the toner replenishing section 5 to compensate for this.

In the toner replenishing section 5, the detection plate 21 moves downward as toner is replenished, and when the detection plate 21 reaches a predetermined level, the sensor 22 is activated and a toner replenishment signal indicating this state is output to the control device 19.

When the toner replenishing sections], Oa, 10b, and 10c are filled with toner, the control device 19 first drives the motor 16 of the toner replenishing section 10a at the end.

When the motor 16 is driven, the spiral 15 rotates, and the toner in the hopper 11 is conveyed toward the tip of the toner transport pipe 13, and is replenished into the toner replenishing section 5 through the toner supply port 14, where the toner level is maintained at a predetermined level. Returns to the value of .

As described above, when the toner in the C toner replenishing section 10a is consumed and becomes empty, the control device 19 controls the sensor 1
The state is detected based on the signal from 7 and the lamp 18 is turned on.

Thereafter, when a toner replenishment signal is input from the sensor 22, the motor 16 of the central toner replenishment section 10b is driven, and toner is replenished from there to the replenishment section 5 in the same manner. Further, when the toner in the central toner replenishing section 1ob is consumed, toner is further replenished from the adjacent toner replenishing section 10c. That is, the toner replenishing parts 10a, 10b, l
Oc is used in the order 10a-1ob→10c. In addition, even if the toner replenishing unit 1 is in an empty state during the process,
Even if toner is replenished at 0, the above order is maintained.

The cover 12 supplies toner to the toner replenishing section 10.
Open the door, check that the lamp 18 is blinking, and replenish the lit toner replenishing unit 10 with a predetermined amount of toner. Note that it is of course possible to replenish toner to the toner replenishing section 10 when the lamp 18 is off.

Furthermore, if the capacity of the hopper 11 is set to accommodate about 700 g of toner, a total of about 2 kg of toner can be held in the copying machine 1, and the user does not have to replenish toner directly. The work can be entrusted to a service person who regularly inspects the machine. Furthermore, since the hopper 11 is small, the manufacturing cost of the mold can be reduced.

By the way, the number of toner replenishing units 10 is not limited to the embodiment, and depends on the number of sheets copied by the copying machine l or the amount of toner consumption,
An appropriate number may be determined based on the capacity of each toner replenishing section 10, the inspection cycle of a service person, etc.

Further, in the embodiment, each toner replenishing section 10 (10a,
10b and 10c), however, one motor may be provided on the main body side of the copying machine 1, and the spiral 15 may be connected to drive the motor.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, in the present invention, the toner replenishing device that replenishes toner in the toner replenishing section of the developing device is composed of a plurality of toner replenishing sections equipped with an empty detection means, and these sections are operated in a predetermined cycle. I'm trying to use it.

Therefore, by increasing the number of toner replenishing parts while making the toner storage capacity of each toner replenishing part large enough to allow toner replenishment using a small-output drive source, a large amount of toner can be held in the image forming apparatus as a whole. be able to.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide stirring means in each toner replenishment section.

Furthermore, since it is sufficient to replenish toner to an empty toner replenishing section, it becomes easy to determine the amount of replenishment to the toner replenishing device.

[Brief Description of the Drawings] Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the general structure of a copying machine, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a toner replenishing device, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view and control circuit diagram of a toner replenishing section and a developing device. be. 1... Copying machine, 3... Developing device, 5... Supply section,
6... Toner replenishment device, 10... Toner replenishment unit, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Toner container, 13... Toner transport pipe, 15
...Spiral, 16...Motor, 17...Sensor, 18...Lamp, 19...Micro combiator, 21...Detection plate, 22...Sensor. Patent applicant: Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. Agent: Patent attorney: 1 person including Mr.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of toner replenishment units comprising a toner storage unit, a conveyance unit that transports the toner in the toner storage unit to a toner replenishment unit of a developing device, and an empty detection unit that detects an empty state of the toner in the toner storage unit. A toner replenishing device comprising: a toner replenishing section; and a control means for driving these toner replenishing sections in a predetermined order based on a signal from the empty detecting means.