JPH03256056A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set the lives of a developing unit and a collecting unit to be optimum and to keep running cost to the minimum by making it possible to respectively separate the developing unit, a toner cartridge and the collecting unit. CONSTITUTION:It is possible to respectively separate the developing unit 16, the toner cartridge 17 and the collecting unit 21. The toner cartridge 17 is fixed to the developing unit 16, and the developing unit 16 in which the toner cartridge 17 is fitted and the collecting unit 21 are fixed to a main body 1 by a specified device so that a gap between the photosensitive drum 18 and the developing roller 24 may be a desired value so as to constitute an electrophotographic processing part. Thus, the life of the electrophotographic processing part is made longer and the running cost is kept to the minimum.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image recording apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an electrophotographic image recording apparatus is constructed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, a paper feed section 72. which supplies transfer material into the main body 71. Electrophotographic process department 73.
Fixing section 74. An optical section 76 and the like are provided. Paper feed section 7
2 takes out the sheets 77 as transfer materials stacked on the sheet feed table 76 one by one and conveys them to the process section 73. The process section 73 includes a photoreceptor 78. Charging section 79. Developing section 80. The photoconductor 78 is equipped with a transfer section 81, a cleaning section 86, etc., and a charging section 79 applies a charge to the photoconductor 78, and the photoconductor 78 is exposed to light by an optical section 76 disposed above the photoconductor 78 to form an electrostatic latent image. is developed with toner 83 in the developing section 80, and the photoreceptor 78 is
The paper 7 fed from the paper feed section 72 at the transfer section 81 at the bottom of the
7 and sent to the fixing section 74. The developing section 80 is provided with a developing roller 84 made of a magnetic roller, and toner 8 supplied from a toner case 85 to the developing roller 84 is provided.
3 is attached. The photoreceptor 78 on which the transfer has been completed is the photoreceptor 78
Scraping υ to scrape off residual toner from the photoreceptor
Residual toner is removed by a cleaning section 82 that includes a member 86 and a waste toner box 87. The paper 77 transferred and conveyed in the process section 73 is thermally fixed in the fixing section 74 and then discharged onto the paper discharge tray 88 .

In addition, in the illustrated apparatus, in order to minimize troublesome maintenance, the process section 73, except for the transfer section 81, is integrated into a single case 89 as a process unit 90, and the toner 83 in the toner case 85 is integrated. When it runs out, the process unit 90 is removed from the main device and replaced. In general, the developing unit 80 is configured such that a predetermined amount of toner is stored in a closed toner case and the entire unit is replaced when the toner is consumed, and the other is that the toner storage unit formed in the developing unit is stored from the outside. A device that replenishes toner is known.

Problem to be Solved by the Invention However, as shown in FIG. 8, in the case where the entire process unit 90 is replaced, the toner case 85
When the toner contained therein is consumed, the photoreceptor 78
．． There was a problem in that all the developing rollers and the like had to be replaced before their lifespans were reached, and running costs were extremely high. Also, photoreceptor 78. If the capacity of the toner case and residual toner accommodating portion is determined in accordance with long-life components such as the developing roller, the size of the process unit 90 will become extremely large, and the image recording device that houses it will also become large. There was a problem of increasing the size of the device, increasing the weight by 2, and increasing the cost.

Even in the case of a device in which the developing unit is replaced when the toner stored in the case is used up, the problem is that the running cost increases similarly to the above because the entire developing roller, which is relatively expensive and durable, must be replaced. was there.

On the other hand, in the case of a device in which toner is supplied to the developing unit from the outside, the cover of the main body is opened to expose the toner accommodating portion of the developing unit to the outside, the lid of the toner accommodating portion is opened, and the toner contained in the toner container is removed. This requires the troublesome work of putting the toner into the toner container, and there is a risk that the toner may spill around and contaminate the inside of the main body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus in which toner can be easily replenished without replacing the entire process unit or developing unit and running costs can be kept low.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention forms an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor, supplies toner to the photoconductor in a developing section, develops it, and transfers it to a transfer material. This is an image recording device in which the electrophotographic process section is attached and detached at the top of the developing unit, which is equipped with a photoreceptor, a developing roller that is close to the photoreceptor, and an agitation screw that uniformly supplies toner to the developing roller. The present invention is characterized in that it comprises a collection unit that includes a toner cartridge that can be mounted, a charging section that applies a potential to the surface of the photoreceptor, and a scraping member that scrapes off residual toner on the surface of the photoreceptor.

Function According to the configuration of the present invention, toner can be easily replenished without spilling toner around the developing unit by mounting the toner cartridge on the upper part of the developing unit.

The conventional developing unit is generally composed of a long-life photoreceptor and developing roller, and the toner cartridge and collection unit are each removable from the developing unit, making it possible to keep running costs low and optimize each unit. By design, the entire image recording installation can be made compact.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

1. First, the overall schematic structure of the υ image recording apparatus will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of the image recording device, and a main body cover 2 whose lower end is pivotably supported to open and close is provided on the front surface inclined forward and backward, and an operating section 3 is provided at the front of the upper surface of the main body 1. . Inside the main body 1, there is a paper feed section 4. Process section 6. Optical Department 6. It includes a fixing section 7, a control section 8, and the like.

In the paper feeding section 4, as shown in FIG. 2, a paper tray 9 is installed on the upper surface of the main body 1 in an inclined position diagonally upward, and the paper is fed diagonally downward along the front surface of the main body 1. Pick up roller 11. so that a path is formed. Feed roller 12. Paper sensor 13. Registration rollers 14 and the like are provided.

Processing section 5c, developing unit 1e, @l collection unit 21. and its toner cartridge 17, etc. The collection unit 21 includes a cleaning blade 22 that comes into contact with the photoreceptor drum 18 and removes residual toner.
The charging section 19 and the collection box 23 are configured as follows.

The developing unit 16 is disposed so as to face the photosensitive drum 18 from the charging section 19 to the transfer section 20 in the rotational direction of the photosensitive drum 18, and is located below the paper feeding section 4. This developing unit has a toner cartridge 17.
It is configured to replenish toner from.

The optical section 6 includes a semiconductor laser 27 and a collimator lens 28.
A light scanning unit 30 using a rotating reflecting mirror 29 and a reflecting mirror 31 are arranged in a case 732.
is located below the rear and below the developing unit 16,
The light output from the optical scanning unit 3° toward the rear is reflected diagonally forward and upward by the reflecting mirror 31, and the charging section 19
The photosensitive drum 18 is exposed between the developing unit 16 and the developing unit 16 .

The fixing unit 7 continuously heats and presses the paper fed out from the process unit 5, melts the toner, and fixes the toner on the paper.

The control section 8 uses a microcomputer or the like, and controls the paper feed section 4 based on a command tube from the operation section 3 or a command from an external device (not shown). The processing unit 6, optical unit 6, etc. are integrally controlled to record input image information on paper.

Next, the developing unit 16 in the image recording apparatus having the overall configuration as described above. The configurations of the toner cartridge 17 and the collection unit 21 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7.

In FIG. 3, the developing unit 16 has a developing roller 24 within its case 41. Stirring screws 26°26 are built in parallel in parallel. The developing roller 24 is composed of a magnetic roller so as to form a magnetic brush on the outer periphery, and a portion of the developing roller 24 opposite to the photoreceptor drum 18 at a lower position in the rotational direction scrapes toner adhering to the outer periphery. A scraper 44 for scraping is provided. A fitting recess 46 into which the lower end mounting portion of the toner cartridge 17 is fitted is formed in the upper part of the case 41 .

The toner cartridge 17 has a toner supply port, and a sponge roller is disposed inside the toner supply port, and the toner is supplied to the developing unit 16 by rotating the sponge roller.

By providing this sponge roller, toner will not spill from the toner cartridge 17 even if the toner cartridge is removed from the developing unit.

The collection unit is provided with a cleaning blade 22 for scraping residual toner on the photosensitive drum from the surface of the drum, and is fixed to the inner surface of the collection unit 21 .

Further, the photosensitive drum 1 mounted on the developing unit 16
A charging unit 19 that applies a surface potential to the cleaning grade 8 is disposed, and is fixed to the recovery unit 21 similarly to the cleaning grade 22 .

The developing unit 16. The toner cartridge 17 and the collection unit 21 can be separated from each other, and the toner cartridge 17 is fixed to the developing unit 16.
The developing unit 16 and the collecting unit 21 fitted with the toner cartridge 13 are fixed to the main body 1 by a device (not shown) so that the gap between the photosensitive drum 18 and the developing roller 24 is set to a desired value, and the electrophotographic process is completed. Section 5 is constructed.

Furthermore, the electrophotographic process section 5 generally has a long lifespan.
A developing unit 16 in which an expensive photoreceptor drum 18 and a developing roller 24 are arranged in the same unit, a toner cartridge 17 that stores toner consumed by recording an image, and toner remaining on the photoreceptor drum 18. It is divided into a collection unit 21 that scrapes off the material and a collection unit 21 that stores it.

In the image recording apparatus configured as described above, the developing unit and each unit can be replaced independently.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the capacity of the collection unit 21 can be determined according to the amount of toner stored in the toner cartridge 17 regardless of the lifespan of the developing unit 16, which contributes to miniaturization of the device. This makes it possible to reduce the cost of the entire device.

Even if parts fixed in the collection unit 21, such as the cleaning blade 22, are damaged, anyone can easily restore the normal state by replacing only the collection unit 21, making maintenance extremely easy. At the same time, maintenance costs can be reduced compared to replacing the entire process unit. Note that for the charging section 19 shown in FIG. 3, contact-type brush charging may be used as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. Figure 5 shows an example of using a fixed method of brush charging, and Figure 6 shows an example of using a fixed method of brush charging.
This example of parallel use, FIG. 7, shows an example of using rotating brushes. Even when a brush charging method is used in this way, by fixing the brush charging section to the collection unit, the service life limit of the brush can be set independently of the expensive developing unit. The process section can be configured optimally, and running costs can be kept to a minimum.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, since the developing unit, toner cartridge, and collection unit can be separated from each other, the life span of each unit can be set optimally, and running costs can be kept to a minimum.

The arrangement of the charging unit in the housing in the recovery unit has the effect that brush-type charging, which generally has a short lifespan, can be used without increasing running costs.

Furthermore, even if the parts of each unit are damaged, there is no need to replace the entire electrophotographic processing unit, which facilitates maintenance and reduces maintenance costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the same external appearance, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the overall configuration of an image recording apparatus to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIGS. 3 to 4 are main points of an embodiment of the present invention. Sectional view of the section, Figure 5~
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part of another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional example. 5... Electrophotographic process section, 6... Optical section, 7... Fixing section, 8... Control section,
16...Development unit, 17...Toner cartridge, 18...Photosensitive drum, 19
...Charging unit, 22...Cleaning blade, 21...Collection unit, 24...
...Developing roller.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) A developing unit section including a photoconductor, a developing roller disposed close to the photoconductor, and an agitation screw that supplies toner to the developing roller, a toner cartridge for replenishing toner, and a toner cartridge mounted on the photoconductor. An image recording apparatus comprising a collection unit for collecting residual toner, the toner cartridge and the collection unit being replaceable independently of the developing unit. (2) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a charging unit for applying a potential on the photoconductor and a cleaning unit for cleaning residual toner on the photoconductor, which are fixed to the collection unit. (3) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the charging means uses a contact charging method using a brush.