JPH03179474A - Developing device of image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a pipe for toner supplementation and a developing unit from interfering with each other when the developing unit is replaced by providing an image forming device main body with the detachable developing unit, a hopper which contains a developer for supplementation, a pipe which has a movable tip and supplements the developer to the developing unit, and a means which move the tip of the pipe to a stand-by position. CONSTITUTION:The developing device consists principally of the developing unit 20 and the hopper 21 which supplements toner to the developing unit 20, which is detachable at right angles to the axis of a photosensitive drum 8. When the developing unit 20 is attached or detached, the main body is placed in an open state. In this state, a lever 43 is pressed forward and then a small gear 61 is pushed forward; and the toner supplementation pipe moves forth through a spiral 51 fixed to the small gear 61 and its tip comes out of the communication opening part 20a of the developing unit 20 to reach the stand-by position. Consequently, when the developing unit is attached or detached, the toner supplementation pipe and developing unit are prevented from interfering with each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a developing device that is provided in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and develops a latent image formed on a photoreceptor.

[Conventional technology]

For example, in a copying machine, image information of a document is read by a reading device, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photoreceptor based on the read image information. A developing device is provided to develop this electrostatic latent image. The developing device is mainly composed of a developing container in which a developing roller, an agitation roller, etc. are housed, and a hopper for replenishing toner into this developing container [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above. The inventors of the present invention have developed a developing device for an image forming apparatus that allows the work to be done easily and efficiently when replacing the developing color in a developing device, and has already filed an application ( Patent Application No. 1-186537).

The developing device has a developing device that is detachable in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the photoreceptor, and a hopper that is provided separately from the developing device and fixed to the main body of the copying machine. In such a developing device, the main bar and the developing device are connected by a toner replenishment pipe, and the replenishing toner from the hopper is supplied into the developing device through this replenishing pipe. .

On the other hand, since the developing device is detachable from the main body of the copying machine, it is necessary to avoid interference with the toner replenishment pipe when the developing device is attached or detached.

An object of the present invention is to provide a system in which a developing device and a hopper are configured separately and are connected by a toner replenishment pipe.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing device for an image forming apparatus that can avoid interference between a toner replenishment pipe and the developing device when the developing device is attached and detached.

[Means to solve the problem]

The developing device of the image forming apparatus according to claim (1) includes a developing device that is detachable from the image forming apparatus main body, a hopper that is fixed to the image forming apparatus main body side and accommodates replenishing developer, and a developer. It has a supply pipe and pipe moving means.

The developer replenishment pipe has a replenishment position in which its tip is inserted into a developer replenishment opening of a developer mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus, and a retracted position in which it is retracted to the outside of the developer. The hopper is movable so as to replenish the developer from the hopper to the developer. The pipe moving means is for moving the tip of the developer replenishment pipe to a retracted position when the developing device is removed from the image forming apparatus main body.

A developing device of an image forming apparatus according to claim (2) includes a developing device similar to the above, a hopper, and a developer replenishment pipe, and further includes the following pipe moving means.

That is, this pipe moving means is a lever for moving the developer replenishment pipe between a replenishment position and a retracted position, and prohibits removal of the developer when the tip of the developer replenishment pipe is in the replenishment position. It is in the first posture to
When it is in the retracted position, it assumes a second attitude that allows the developer to be removed.

[Effect]

In the invention of claim (1), when the developing device is attached to and removed from the main body of the image forming apparatus, the developer replenishment pipe is retracted to a retracted position outside the developing device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the developer replenishment pipe from interfering and being damaged when the developing device is attached or detached. Also, when the developing device is installed in the image forming apparatus main body, the tip of the developer replenishment pipe is inserted into the developer replenishing opening of the developing device, and is in the replenishing position on the image forming apparatus main body side. Developer is supplied to the developing device from a hopper provided in the developer via a developer supply pipe.

In the invention of claim (2), the means for moving the developer replenishment pipe is constituted by a lever, and the lever is configured such that the developer cannot be removed when the tip of the developer replenishment pipe is in the replenishment position. This is the first posture. Further, when the tip of the developer replenishment pipe is in the retracted position, it is in a second position in which the developer can be removed.

This makes it impossible to remove the developing device with the tip of the developer replenishing pipe inserted into the developing device, and it is possible to prevent damage to the developer replenishing pipe due to operational errors.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a static copying machine in which a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is employed.

The copying machine main body 1 consists of an upper main body 1a and a lower main body 1b. The main body upper part 1a and the main body lower part 1b can be opened and closed on the coupling side centering on the hinge part 18 on the left side. A document table 2 is fixed to the upper surface of the copying machine main body 1, and a document holder 3 is attached to the upper part of the document table 2 so as to be openable and closable. A paper feed cassette 4.5 is detachably attached to the right side of the copying machine main body 1. Further, a paper ejection tray 6 is installed on the left side to eject copied sheets.

Inside the copying machine main body 1, an optical system 7 for reading image information of a document is provided on the upper side la of the main body. The optical system 7 includes a light source, a mirror lens, and the like. A photoreceptor drum 8 on which a static latent image is formed is disposed at the center of the lower part of the main body 1b. Around the photoreceptor drum 8, there are a charging device 9 that charges the photoreceptor drum 8 to a predetermined charge, a developing device IO1 that develops an electrostatic latent image, a transfer device 1 that transfers a toner image onto a sheet of paper.
(2) A paper separating device i12 for separating paper from the photosensitive drum 8, and a cleaning device 13 for removing toner on the photosensitive drum 8 are arranged in this order. A paper feed conveyance path 14 for conveying paper is provided between the paper feed cassettes 4 and 5 and the image forming section constituted by the photoreceptor drum 8 and the like, and a paper feed conveyance path 14 is provided on the downstream side of the image forming section in the paper conveyance direction. , a paper discharge conveyance path 15 are provided. A fixing device 16 that fixes the transferred image on the transported paper is provided between the paper ejection conveyance path 15 and the paper ejection tray 6. Further downstream of this fixing device 16, a paper ejection roller 17 is provided. is provided.

FIG. 2 shows the developing device 10 in detail in an exploded manner. The developing device 10 mainly includes a developing device 20 and a hopper 21 that supplies toner to the developing device 20. The developing device 20 is installed between a front side plate 22 (hereinafter, the front side of the copying machine body is referred to as the front and the back side is referred to as the rear side) and a rear side plate (not shown), and is attached to the shaft of the photoreceptor drum 8. It can be attached and detached in a direction perpendicular to the above direction (up and down direction in this embodiment). The front plate 22 is provided at the front inside the lower part 1b of the main body, and is rotatable upward (clockwise) about the fulcrum 23 from the state shown in FIG. Further, the rear side plate is provided at the rear inside the main body lower part 1b, and is rotatable like the front side plate 22.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional plan view of the support portion of the developing device 20, the walls of the front side plate 22 and the rear side plate on the inside side of the device have a structure for guiding the developing device 20 to a predetermined position. Guides 24 and 25 are formed. On the other hand, supporting members 26 and 27 are provided on the side of the developing device 20 and protrude outward.
are provided, and each support member 26,27 is provided with a first pocket portion PI formed by the guides 24 and 25.
and is supported by the second pocket portion P2.

In the first pocket portion PI, the surface of the guide 25 that comes into contact with the supporting member 26 on the side of the developing device 20 is a part of an arc having a radius R centered on the axis of the photosensitive drum 8. Further, a handle 28 is attached to the upper part of the developing device 20, so that the developing device 20 can be easily pulled out from above.

Inside the developing device 20, as in the conventional device, there are a developing roller 29 that supplies toner to the photoreceptor drum 8, a pumping rotor 30 that pumps up developer consisting of toner and carrier toward the developing roller 29, and the developing device 20. A PiL stirring roller 31 for stirring the developer therein is rotatably provided.

Above the agitation roller 31 is a spiral 3 for conveying toner supplied from a hopper 21, which will be described later, in the width direction of the developing device 20 (in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in the second drawing).
2 (see FIG. 4) is rotatably provided. Furthermore, above the spiral 32 and in front of the copying machine main body 1, there are
A communication opening 20a with the hopper 21 is formed (
(See Figure 4). A connecting member 34 is rotatably attached to the upper part of one end side (left side in FIG. 2) of the front plate 22 that supports the developing device 20 and the photosensitive drum 8 by means of a bottle 33. The upper end side of the connecting member 34 is rotatably attached to the main body upper part 1a of the copying machine main body 1.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV, the hopper 21 is placed in front of the main body of the copying machine on the front side plate 22, and is fixed to the front side plate 22 by support plates 35 and 36. has been done. The hopper 21 mainly includes a hopper body 37 and a toner cartridge 42. The hopper body 37 has a toner container 38 that stores toner. As shown in FIG. 4, the toner container 38 has a V-shaped cross section when viewed from the side, and is open at the top.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a cylindrical casing 49 is provided below the toner container 38 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying member 39 inside the toner container 38. As shown in FIGS. A toner capturing vibrator 50 is slidably inserted into the cylindrical casing 49 .

An upper opening 50a is formed in the upper part of the toner replenishment pipe 50 over a predetermined range, and in the sliding range of the toner replenishment pipe 50, the upper opening 50a and the toner supply ports 38a of the 38 toner containers are connected. It seems to be communicating. Further, at the tip of the toner supply pipe 50 (right end in FIG. 4), a lower opening portion 50b is formed over the lower half circumference. Inside the toner supply pipe 50,
A spiral 51 is rotatably provided for conveying the toner that has fallen from the toner container 38 to the tip side of the toner supply pipe 50. Axis 51a of this spiral 51
passes through the rear end of the toner supply pipe 50 (the front end of the copying machine main body), and also through the rear end of the cylindrical casing 49, and protrudes forward (in the near direction) from the hopper 21.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4, when the front cover 19 of the copying machine main body 1 is closed, the inner wall surface of the front cover 19 comes into contact with the front end portion of the spiral shaft 51a, and the toner supply pipe 50 is opened. By pushing it backwards (to the right in FIG. 4), its tip can enter into the communication opening 2Oa of the developing device 20.

A pipe 5 is provided on the outer periphery of the tip of the toner supply pipe 50.
A cover 52 is provided so as to cover the Shimonoseki exit portion 50b of 0. The cover 52 is slidable around the outer periphery of the toner capture pipe 50 and is normally biased toward the tip of the toner supply pipe 50 by a spring 53.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a drive gear 55 connected to a drive motor (not shown) is provided at the right end of the cover 21. As shown in FIGS. This drive gear 55 is connected to the shaft of the conveyance member 39 via a first intermediate gear 56 and a toner replenishment gear 57. Also, as shown in Figure 2,
A first bevel gear 58 is connected to the first intermediate gear 56 via a shaft.
is fixed, and the first bevel gear 58 is connected to a second bevel gear 59 and a second intermediate gear 6 formed integrally therewith.
0 to the small gear 61. The small gear 61 is fixed to a spiral shaft 51a protruding from the hopper 21, and the spiral 51 is rotated by the rotation of the drive gear 55.

In addition, this hopper main body 37 has a broken line in FIG.
A lever 43 is provided as shown in the two-dot chain line in the figure and in FIG. The lever 43 connects to the toner supply pipe 50
4 to a replenishment position shown by a solid line in FIG. 4 and a retreat position shown by a dashed line. And the fifth
As shown in the figure, it is formed by a plate-like member having a U-shaped bottom in plan view, and includes an operating portion 43a, a connecting portion 43b, and a locking portion 43c. The operating section 43a is connected to the developing device 20.
It is located in such a position that the operator can operate it from above when replacing it. Further, when the toner replenishing pipe 50 is in the replenishing position, the operating section 43a is located at a position where it interferes with the developing device 20 when the developing device is removed, so that the developing device 20 cannot be replaced, as shown in FIG. 6A. It is located.

The connecting portion 43b is slidably supported by the support plate 36. Further, the locking portion 43c is located between the small gear 61 and the front end portion of the cylindrical casing 49, and the fifth
As shown in the figure, the tip has a bifurcated shape. The shaft 51a of the spiral 51 is inserted into the recess 43d.

7. When the developing device 10 is set in the copying machine main body I and the front cover 19 is closed, the flopper 21 and the developing device 20 are
and are connected in the state shown in FIG. That is, the spiral shaft 51a is moved rearward (
The leading end of the toner replenishment pipe 50 enters the communication path opening 2Oa of the developing device 20, and is at the replenishment position. At this time, the tip of the cover 52 provided on the outside of the toner replenishing pipe 50 contacts the end of the communication opening 20a of the developing device 20, so that the cover 52 is relatively retreated against the spring 53. The lower opening 50b of the toner supply pipe 50 is in an open state.

The spiral 32 of the 20 examples of the "Nini-sode-sode movable developing device" is constantly rotated by a drive system (not shown). Further, the conveying member 39 and the spiral 51 on the hopper 21 side are stopped.

When a toner replenishment command is output from the control section of the copying machine main body, a drive motor (not shown) is turned on, and the drive gear 55 of the hopper 21 rotates. This rotation of the drive gear 55 is transmitted to the conveyance member 39 via the first intermediate gear 56 and the toner replenishment gear 57. The rotation of the conveyance member 39 conveys the toner, and a fixed amount of the toner is dropped downward through the toner supply port 38a by a rotor (not shown).

Further, simultaneously with the rotation of the conveying member 39, the rotation of the first intermediate gear 56 is transmitted to the small gear 61 via the bevel gears 58, 59 and the second intermediate gear 60. As a result, the spiral shaft 51a to which the small gear 61 is fixed rotates, and the spiral 51 rotates. Therefore, the toner container 38
The toner that has fallen into the toner supply pipe 50 from the supply port 38a is conveyed to the right side in FIG. The toner conveyed by the spiral 51 is supplied into the developing device 20 through the lower opening 50b of the toner supply pipe 50.

The toner supplied into the developing device 20 is conveyed in the width direction of the developing device 2o by a spiral 32 at the top of the developing device 20. Below the spiral 32, there is a groove 2 that continues in the width direction.
0b (see FIG. 4) is formed, and toner is supplied into the developing device 2o through this groove 20b. When the toner concentration reaches a predetermined concentration, the toner replenishment command is turned off, the drive motor of the hopper 21 is turned off, and the toner replenishment operation is completed.

When attaching or detaching the developing unit 20, first open the front cover 19, unlock the upper body 1a and the lower body 1b of the copying machine body 1, and then open the upper body 1a. Hinge part 1
8 in the counterclockwise direction to open the main body 1. As the main body upper part 1a opens, the connecting member 34 is pulled upward, so that the front plate 22 and the rear plate rotate clockwise by a predetermined angle about the fulcrum 23.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 6A, the operating portion 43a of the lever 43 is located above the developing device 20, and the developing device 20 cannot be pulled out upward. Therefore, the lever 4
3 forward (to the left in FIG. 6A), the small gear 61 is similarly pushed forward by the locking portion 43c of the lever 43, and the spiral 51 fixed to this small gear 61 is pushed forward. The toner supply pipe 50 moves forward via the shaft 51a. As a result, the tip of the toner replenishment pipe 50 comes out from the communication opening 20a of the developing device 20, and becomes the retracted position. At the same time, the operating portion 43a of the lever 43 also moves to a position where it does not interfere with the developing device 20, as shown in FIG. 6B.

In this state, when the handle 28 of the developing device 20 is grasped and pulled upward, the supporting members 26 and 27 of the developing device 20 are moved to the pocket portion Pl of the side plate, respectively.

The extractor comes out from P2, and the developing device 20 can be taken out from the copying machine main body 1 along each guide 24, 25.

When installing the developing device 20, leave the lever 43 in the state shown in FIG. Insert into each pocket PI and P2 inside the main body.

Thereafter, by pushing the spiral Id 151a protruding forward, the tip of the toner replenishment pipe 50 enters into the communication opening 2Oa of the developing device 20 to reach the replenishment position. As a result, the locking portion 43c of the operating portion 43a of the lever 43 is pushed by the small gear 61, so that the operating portion 43a of the lever 43 is moved to a position above the developing device 20, as shown in FIG. 6A.

Note that even if the operator forgets to push the spiral shaft 51a, by closing the front cover 19, the inner wall surface of the front cover 19 will push the spiral shaft 51a, and the tip of the toner supply pipe 50 will be connected to the developing device. 20 communication openings 20
invade inside a.

Note that when a developing device containing toner of a color different from the color of the toner contained in the toner container 38 (black here) is installed, a color similar to that formed in a black developing device is installed. No communication opening 20a or spiral 32 is provided. Therefore, even if the toner supply pipe 50 of the hopper 21 is pushed, there is no part that comes into contact with the cover 52.
The lower opening 50b of the toner supply pipe 50 remains covered by the cover 52 due to the bias of the spring 53. Further, if a developing device other than black is set, this fact is detected by a switch or the like, and the motor for replenishing toner is not driven.

In this embodiment, when the developing unit 20 is attached and detached,
If the lever 43 is not moved, that is, the lever 43
Therefore, the developing unit 20 cannot be removed unless the tip of the toner supply pipe 50 is placed in the retracted position. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the problem of damaging the toner replenishing pipe 50 by removing the developing device 20 while the tip of the toner replenishing pipe 50 is inserted into the developing device 20.

In addition, since the toner replenishment pipe 50 is inserted into the developing device 20 side in conjunction with the operation of closing the front cover 19 of the copying machine main body l, the hopper 21 and the developing device 20 are
can be automatically combined.

[Other Examples]

(a) In the embodiment described above, the tip of the toner supply pipe 50 is retracted by the lever 43, but the structure for moving the toner supply pipe 50 to the retracted position is not limited to the embodiment described above.

For example, in FIG. 4, a spring is arranged between the small gear 61 and the cylindrical casing 49, and when the front cover 19 is opened, the small gear 61 and the toner supply pipe 50 move forward due to the action of the spring, and the toner supply pipe 50 is moved forward. The tip of the sleeve supply pipe 50 may be at the retracted position.

Further, the handle 28 of the developing device 20 is rotatable, and in conjunction with the rotation of the handle 28, the lever 43 is moved in the front and back direction, and the tip of the toner replenishment pipe 50 is moved between the replenishment position and the retracted position. You can do it like this.

(L)) In the above embodiment, the copying machine main body l is the main body upper part 1a.
The present invention was applied to a talam shell type device, which consists of a main body lower part 1b, and both can be opened and closed freely.
The copying machine to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the ramshell type. In other words, in devices with a movable document table, the developing device can be replaced from the opening at the top while the document table is moved from the top of the device body. The invention can be applied.

(b) In the embodiments described above, the case where the developing device of the present invention is employed in a copying machine has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to other image forming apparatuses such as printers and facsimile machines.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the invention as claimed in claim (1), in an image forming apparatus in which a developing device and a hopper are constructed separately and the developing device is detachable, the developing device and the hopper are connected to a pipe for replenishing developer. At the same time, the tip is moved by the pipe moving means to a replenishment position where it is inserted into the developing device and a retracted position where it is retracted outside the developing device, so that when the developing device is attached or removed, Interference between the toner supply pipe and the developing device can be avoided.

In the invention of claim (2), the pipe moving means is a lever, and when the tip of the developer replenishment pipe is at the replenishment position, the lever prevents the developer from being attached or detached, so that the developer is not attached or detached. This can prevent the developer replenishment pipe from being damaged due to a work error.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a copying machine to which a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the developing device portion of the copying machine, and FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the developing device. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line V-IV of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lever of the developing device, and FIG.
6B and 6B are diagrams showing how the developing unit is being attached and detached. l... Copying machine, 10... Developing device, 20... Developing unit, 21... Homper 43... Lever, 43a.
...Operation section, 43b...Connecting section, 43c...Locking section, 50...Toner supply pipe 9

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A developing device that is removably attached to the image forming apparatus main body, a hopper that is fixed to the image forming apparatus main body and stores developer for replenishment, and a tip of the developing device that is attached to the image forming apparatus main body. It is movable so that it can take a replenishing position inserted into the developer replenishing opening and a retracted position retracted outside the developing device, and is configured to replenish the developer from the hopper to the developing device. A developing device for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a developer replenishment pipe; and a pipe moving means for moving a tip of the developer replenishment pipe to a retracted position. (2) The pipe moving means is a lever for moving the developer replenishment pipe between a replenishment position and a retreat position, and the lever is configured to move the developer replenishment pipe when the tip of the developer replenishment pipe is in the replenishment position. The developing device of an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developing device is in a first posture that prohibits removal of the developing device, and is in a second posture that allows removal of the developing device when the developing device is in the retracted position.