JPH04146451A - Color processing cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer a color processing cartridge which compactly incorporates a supplying device for developer and a recovery device for discharged toner by integrating a belt-like image forming body, plural developing devices and cleaning devices, and a discharged toner box, and making them attachable/ detachable with respect to a color image forming device main body. CONSTITUTION:A photosensitive belt 1 is incorporated in an independent color processing cartridge 30 as a processing material for image forming with an electrostatic charger 6 and each developing device oppositely arranged in a lower side periphery, and the cleaning device 13 disposed at the end of a lateral direction, and integrated to be attachable/detachable with respect to the device main body. Furthermore, the color processing cartridge 30 incorporates a developer supplying part 30A constituted of plural toner hoppers and a toner recovering part 30B constituted of a discharged toner box on the side part of the cleaning device 13, and has both functions for supplying toner to the developing devices 8, 9 and 10 from the part 30A, and supplying the recovered toner at the toner recovering part 30B to the developing device 11 as the supply toner.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color process cartridge used in an electrophotographic color image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer that forms an image on a transfer material.

[Background of the invention]

There are many ways to obtain color images using electrophotography.
A device has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 61100770
As disclosed in the publication, a latent image is formed and developed in accordance with the number of separated colors of the original image on a photosensitive drum serving as an image forming member, and is transferred onto a transfer drum each time it is developed. There is a method of forming a multicolor image and then transferring it onto a transfer material to obtain a color copy. A device using this method requires a transfer drum large enough to transfer one sheet of image onto its circumferential surface in addition to the photoreceptor drum, and the device does not have a large and complicated structure. Inevitable.

Furthermore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-149972, a latent image is formed and developed on a photoreceptor drum according to the number of separated colors of the original image, and is transferred onto a transfer material each time it is developed. There is a way to obtain a multicolor copy. With this method, it is difficult to overlay multicolored images with high precision,
It is not possible to obtain a good quality color copy.

Another method is to repeatedly form a latent image on a photoconductor drum according to the number of separated colors of the original image and develop it with color toner, and then overlap the color toner images on the photoconductor drum and transfer the images to obtain a color image. . The basic process of forming a multicolor image is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-75850 and No. 60-75850 by the present applicant.
-76766, 60-95456, 60-95
No. 458, No. 60-158475, and the like.

In a multicolor image forming apparatus that obtains a color image through such superimposition, a plurality of developing devices containing different color toners are arranged around the periphery of the photoreceptor drum. The photosensitive drum is rotated multiple times to develop the latent image on the photosensitive drum to obtain a color image.

On the other hand, in image forming apparatuses such as monochrome analog copying machines using electrophotography and copying machines and printers using semiconductor laser and LED scanning systems, various photoreceptors, developers, cleaning members, and developer toners that have a useful life are used. A part of the image forming means is made into a cartridge for replenishment and replacement when worn out, etc., and a member integrating the main parts of the image forming means is taken out of the apparatus for maintenance or replacement. something is proposed. Furthermore, various configurations have been proposed in which the conveyance path of the transfer material on which an image is formed by the image forming means is opened to make it easier to take out the transfer material when clearing a jam.

As a typical configuration of these, 1. Photoreceptor drum, developer,
Proposals have been made to attach a cleaner, etc. integrally to a support member and make it removable from the main body of the device, making it easier to replace and repair each unit, and then to integrate the main parts of these image forming means and make them disposable. is JP-A-57-1
54255, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147366/1989 discloses a printer configuration that uses a similar disposable cartridge and forms a latent image on a photoreceptor drum by dot exposure scanning writing using a semiconductor laser. There is.

Further, these publications disclose a structure in which the upper housing of the split structure is opened to open the transfer material conveyance path and take out the transfer material in the event of a jam. A structure is adopted in which a disposable process cartridge is replaceably disposed in an upper housing having a two-part structure, and attempts are made to improve the workability of cartridge replacement and ease of jam removal.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In this way, by converting each process material for image formation into a cartridge and making it easy to attach and remove it from the main body of the apparatus, maintenance of each process material and jam removal of transfer material are significantly simplified. Regarding incidental process processing such as replenishing developer to each developing device built into the cartridge and disposal of waste toner removed by cleaning, there is still no proposal for a specific and appropriate device, and it is difficult to convert process materials into cartridges. However, this remains one of the remaining issues.

An object of the present invention is to solve this problem and provide a color process cartridge in which a developer replenishment device and a waste toner recovery device can be built into the cartridge in an extremely compact manner.

[Structure of the invention]

The above object is to provide a belt-like image forming body stretched between a plurality of rotating rollers, a plurality of developing devices disposed below and a cleaning device on the side at the peripheral edge thereof, and a plurality of developing devices This is achieved by a color process cartridge that is removably attached to the main body of a color image forming apparatus, and is provided with a plurality of toner hoppers for replenishing toner and a waste toner box that stores toner collected by the cleaning device.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of an image forming apparatus equipped with a color process cartridge of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 812.

In FIG. 1(a), reference numeral 1 denotes a flexible photoreceptor belt serving as a belt-like image carrier, and the photoreceptor belt 1-1 is installed between rotating rollers 2 and 3. It is transported clockwise by the drive of.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a support member or guide member fixed so as to be inscribed in the photoreceptor belt 1, and the photoreceptor belt 1 is brought into a tensioned state by the outward biasing action of the rotary roller 3, so that its inner periphery is The surface is rubbed against the guide member 4.

Therefore, the photoreceptors on the outer circumferential surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 are always maintained at a constant position relative to the surface of the guide member 4 even during conveyance, making it possible to form a stable image forming surface.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a scorotron charger as a charging means, 7 a laser writing system unit as an image exposure means, and 8 to 11 a plurality of developing means, that is, developing devices, each containing a developer of a specific color. The means is disposed facing the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor belt l with the guide member 4 on the back side.

In addition to the optical system shown in the drawings, the laser writing system unit 7 may also include an optical system that integrates a light emitting section and a convergent light transmission body.

The developing units 8, 9, 10, and 11 contain, for example, yellow magenta, cyan, and black developers, respectively, and are provided with developing sleeves that maintain a predetermined gap from the photosensitive belt 1. It has the function of making the upper latent image visible using a non-contact development method. Unlike contact development, this non-contact development has the advantage of not interfering with the movement of the photoreceptor belt.

12 is a transfer device; 12A is a static elimination bar; 13 is a cleaning unit, that is, a cleaning device;
The blade 13A and the toner conveying roller 13B are kept at a position apart from the surface of the photoreceptor belt (1) during image formation, and are brought into pressure contact with the surface of the photoreceptor belt (1) as shown only during cleaning after image transfer.

The process of forming a color image by the color image forming apparatus is performed as follows.

First, the formation of a multicolor image according to this embodiment is performed according to the following image forming system. That is, data obtained by a color image data input section in which an image sensor scans an original image is subjected to arithmetic processing in an image data processing section to create image data, which is then stored in an image memory. The image memory is then taken out during recording and input into a recording section, for example, the color image forming apparatus shown in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1(a).

That is, when a color signal previously output from an image reading device separate from the printer is input to the laser writing system unit 7, the laser writing system unit 7 receives a laser beam generated by a semiconductor laser (not shown). The beam is rotated and scanned by a polygon mirror 7B rotated by a drive motor 7A, and passes through an fθ lens 7C to mirrors 7D and 7E.
, 7F, the optical path is bent, and the light is projected onto the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor belt 1, which has been charged in advance by the charger 6, which is a charging means, to form a bright line.

On the other hand, when scanning is started, the beam is detected by the index sensor, modulation of the beam by the first color signal is started, and the modulated beam scans the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor belt 1. Therefore, a latent image corresponding to the first color is formed on the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor belt l by the main scanning by the laser beam and the sub-scanning by the conveyance of the photoreceptor belt l. This latent image is developed by a developing device 8 loaded with yellow (Y) toner (developing medium) of the developing means, and a toner image is formed on the belt surface. The obtained toner image, while being held on the belt surface, passes under a cleaning device 13, which is a cleaning means, which is separated from the peripheral surface of the photoreceptor belt 1, and enters the next copy cycle.

That is, the photoreceptor belt 1 is charged again by the charger 6, and then output from the signal processing section; a second color signal is input to the writing system unit 7, and in the case of the first color signal described above; Writing is performed on the belt surface in the same manner as described above, and a latent image is formed. The latent image is developed by a developer 9 loaded with magenta (M) toner as a second color.

This magenta (M) toner image is formed in the presence of the previously formed yellow (Y) toner image.

A developing device 10 has cyan (C) toner, and forms a cyan (C) toner image on the belt surface based on a control signal generated by a signal processing section.

Furthermore, 11 is a developing device having black toner, and forms a black toner image superimposed on the belt surface by the same process. These developing units 8.9°10 and 11
A direct current or even alternating current bias is applied to each sleeve, and jumping development is performed using a two-component developer, which is a developing means, and development is performed without contact on the photoreceptor belt l whose base is grounded. It has become. Incidentally, as the development, non-contact development using a -component developer can also be used.

The color toner image thus formed on the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor bell (1) is transferred to a transfer material fed from the paper feed cassette 14 via the paper feed guide 15 in the transfer section.

That is, the top layer of the transfer material stored in the paper feed cassette 14 is carried out by the rotation of the paper feed roller 16, and transferred to the transfer device 12 via the timing roller 17 in synchronization with the image formation on the photoreceptor belt 1. supplied to.

The transfer material that has undergone image transfer and static electricity removal is transferred to the rotating roller 2.
It separates from the photoreceptor belt 1, which suddenly changes direction along the direction of the photoreceptor belt 1, and heads upwards via a suction-type conveyor bell l-17A, and after fixing the image on the fixing roller 18, it passes through the paper ejection roller 19. After that, it is discharged onto a tray formed on the upper lid 20.

On the other hand, the photoreceptor belt 1 that has completed the transfer to the transfer material continues to be conveyed to the blade 13A and the toner conveying roller 13B.
The remaining toner was removed in the cleaning device 13 which was brought into pressure contact with the blade 13A, and the blade 13A was removed again after the cleaning was completed. A little later, the toner supply roller 13B smoothed out the toner accumulated on the tip of the blade 13A. Afterwards, the toner supply roller 13B is separated and a new image forming process begins.

The photoreceptor belt 1 is used as a process material for image formation together with a charger 6 and developing devices arranged opposite to each other on the lower periphery, and a cleaning device 13 arranged on the lateral end.
) independent color process cartridge 3 as shown in
0 and is integrated into the main body of the device.

The color process cartridge 30 further includes a developer replenishing section 30A consisting of a plurality of toner hoppers on the side of the cleaning device 13, and a toner collecting section consisting of a waste toner box inside the photoreceptor belt 1, that is, integrated with the guide member 4. 30B, the developer replenishing section 30A supplies toner to the developing devices 8. It also has a function of supplying toner to the developing device 11 as replenishment toner.

The color process cartridge 30 is inserted into and removed from the main body of the apparatus in the following manner.

That is, inside the device, as shown in FIG. 5 showing the AA cross section, a pedestal 50 is provided which is slidably supported by engaging a pair of fixed guide rails 40 with legs 50A on the bottom surface. The process cartridge 30 is placed on the pedestal 50 and housed in the apparatus.

The pedestal 50 is connected to the pinion P1 of the motor M1 on the device main body side.
The rack plate 51 is integrally meshed with the rack plate 51, and as shown in FIG. 2 or 3, the rack plate 51 is integrally moved in parallel diagonally upward as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, the upper lid 20 is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body via a shaft 2OA, and is opened by rotating counterclockwise to open an opening in the upper part of the apparatus main body.

That is, the upper lid 20 has a flat gear 2I integrated in its rotating base that meshes with the pinion P2 of the motor M2 on the device main body side, and rotates counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 2 or 3 by the rotation of the motor M2. Rotates and holds at a predetermined angle.

The movement of the pedestal 50 and the opening of the upper cover 20, that is, the rotation of the motors M1 and M2, are automatically started at the time of the process material replacement, inspection, or replenishment cycle and at the timing of transfer material transport trouble. .

The process cartridge 30 has a counter function that adds up the frequency of use of the process materials contained therein, and when it is newly installed in the apparatus main body, the protrusion member 31 on the side of the cartridge shown in FIG. 5 is installed on the apparatus main body side. Press the reset lever 35 of the counter C to return the display of the counter C to O, record the number of usages from then on, and set each predetermined number of usages, such as the number of durable usages of the blade 13A of the cleaning device 13, the number of belt usages, etc. When the reference value is reached, the counter C outputs a signal S.

〔example〕

Cleaning durability replacement...20,000C Belt life replacement...60,000C At 60,000C, counter C is reset by inserting a new process unit.

Based on this signal, the cycle of replacement and inspection of the photoreceptor belt 1, the charger 6, each developing device, and the cleaning device 13 is detected.

Note that the protrusion member 31 is a
The proposal in Publication No. 5 is applied, thereby preventing the counter C from being reset again by the same cartridge 30.

Further, the process cartridge 30 includes the developer replenishing section 3 described above, which is constituted by three toner replenishing hoppers for replenishing toner to each of the developing devices 8, 9 and 10.
0A and a toner collecting section 30B that accommodates the toner collected by the cleaning device 13.

Each of the developer replenishing parts 3OA is yellow (Y).
Three toner cartridges filled with , magenta (M), and cyan (C) toners are installed, and are built in such a state that toner can be constantly dropped and replenished into each corresponding toner replenishment hopper.

Further, a sensor P is attached to the developer replenishing section 30A as a detection means for detecting consumption of developer, that is, toner, and when the remaining amount of toner contained therein decreases below a specified value, an electric signal S'' is output. The signal is transmitted to the main body of the apparatus via the connector 32 shown in FIG.

6(a) and 6(b) both show the main parts of the process cartridge 30 from the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1(b).
As shown in FIG. 6(b), a black (BK) container is equipped with a stirring screw 30C driven by the motor m1, and stores the mixed color collected toner transported from the cleaning device 13 via the transport pipe 13C. ) and stir to make a uniform black toner for replenishment.

The black toner for replenishment is conveyed and replenished to the developing device 11 via the conveying tube 11C by rotation of the motor m2 in response to the image density detection signal, and maintains the image to be developed at a prescribed black color density.

On the other hand, photosensors S l , S 2 , 53, etc., which detect the passage of the transfer material, are arranged at key points on the conveyance path of the transfer material, and the sensors located on the upstream side of each conveyance detect the passage of the transfer material. After that, if the downstream sensor cannot detect the transfer material even after a predetermined time has elapsed, a jam detection signal S is sent.
” (not shown) is output, and the occurrence of a jam in the transfer material is detected.

Each of the detected signals described above is input to a control section of the apparatus main body, and output as a signal for controlling the rotation of the motors M1 and M2.

Further, the above-mentioned device has an operation/display section 60 provided on the front side thereof, that is, on the side of arrow B in FIG. 1(a).
As shown in FIG. 8, a lamp 1 indicates the occurrence of a jam in the transfer material, a lamp L2 indicates replacement of the process material, a lamp L3 indicates replenishment of the developer, and the motors M1 and M2 move in the reverse direction. It is provided with a reset button 61 for starting the drive of the motor and an eject button 62 for starting the drive in the normal rotation direction.

When the jam detection signal (S") and the process material replacement and developer replenishment detection signals (S and s') are input to the control section of the main body of the apparatus, the lamps L1, L2,
The lamp L3 is lit and displayed.

Below, the motors Ml and M2 are controlled by inputting each of the above signals.
The process of controlling the rotation of
This will be explained with reference to each flowchart shown in the figure.

First, a case where the amount of toner in the developer replenishing section 30A has decreased and the sensor P detects the time to replenish the toner will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6(a), the developer replenishing section 30A has a toner replenishing hole 308.
It is composed of 309.310.

Each of the toner replenishment hoppers is connected to the corresponding developing device through a replenishing pipe with a built-in visible conveyance screw, and the toner is supplied to the developing device by rotation of each motor m in response to an image density detection signal. It is designed to be replenished internally.

When the toner replenishment signal S' is output to the toner replenishment hopper, the lamp L3 (preferably a lamp corresponding to each color toner Y, M, C, BK) is activated as shown in FIG.
lights up to alert the toner replenishment hopper to replace the toner cartridge, and at the same time, a signal is output to supply power for forward rotation to the motor M1.

Due to the normal rotation of the motor Ml, the gantry 50 moves from the position shown in FIG. 1(a) to the position shown in FIG.
The rotation of the motor M1 is stopped at the switching position to F.

As a result, the process cartridge 30 is moved from the first position in the apparatus, where image formation is possible, to the 1g2 position, where the developer replenishment container, that is, the toner cartridge, can be replaced. protrude to the outside.

Toner replenishment to each toner replenishment hopper 308, 309, and 310 is performed by filling each toner with toner of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), as shown in FIG. 6(a). Cartridge 308C, 309C
, 310C, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 7, a replacement operation for the toner cartridge 308C for the toner supply hopper 308 will be described as an example.

The toner supply hopper 308 has the toner cartridge 3 on the top surface.
A guide plate 3081 that engages 08C is fixed, and a toner receiving port 3082 is opened.

The toner receiving port 3082 is connected to the guide rails 3083 and 3.
Shirt plate 308 slidably held by 084
5, and is always shielded by the biasing action in the opposite direction of the arrow by a tension spring 3086 attached to the shirt shirt plate 3085.

On the other hand, the toner cartridge 308C has a stepped portion 3081C inscribed on the bottom surface thereof and engaged with the guide plate 3081 of the toner supply hopper 308, and further has a toner drop port 3082C opened in the center thereof.

The toner falling port 3082C is a guide rail 3083C.
and 3084C, the shirt shirt plate 308 is covered by a shirt shirt plate 3085C slidably held by
The shielded state is maintained at all times by the biasing action in the direction of the arrow by the tension spring 3086C attached to 5C.

When the toner cartridge 308C is slid into the toner supply hopper 308 in the direction of the arrow so that the stepped portion 3081C engages with the guide plate 3081, the spring hook on the cartridge side causes the bottle 3087C to slide into the upright portion of the shutter plate 3085 on the hopper side. 3088 to press the shirt shirt plate 3.
085 in the direction of the arrow, and after a slight delay, the rising portion 3088C of the shutter plate 3085C on the cartridge side comes into contact with the spring hook on the hopper side against the bin 3087, and as the cartridge is inserted, the shutter plate 3085G is moved in the opposite direction of the arrow. Ru.

Therefore, when the stepped portion 3081C is inserted until it abuts and locks against the back wall of the guide member 3081, the toner receiving port 3082 and the toner dropping port 3082C are fully opened at the mutually matched positions, and the toner cartridge 30 in
The toner in 8C automatically flows out and falls into the toner replenishment hopper 308 to be replenished.

After replacing the toner cartridge 308C, by manually pressing the reset button, reverse rotation power is supplied to the motor Ml, and the process cartridge 30 starts moving from the second position to the first position, and the light shielding plate 52
At the position where the sensor S4 is switched from OFF to ON, the rotation of the motor M1 is stopped and image formation is again possible, and the lamp L3 is turned off.

It is also possible to move the process cartridge 30 or the aforementioned unit to the second position by manually pressing the eject button.

Furthermore, instead of incorporating each of the toner cartridges in the process cartridge 30, the toner cartridges are installed when the process cartridge 30 moves to the second position as shown in FIG. It is also possible to supply the liquid to a supply hopper.

Next, a case will be described in which the time for replacing the process material is detected by the counter C, and occurrence of a jam in the transfer material is detected by the seven automatic sensors 51 to S3.

Electrical signal S by counter C or 7 otosensor 5l
-53 is input to the control unit, the first
As shown in Fig. O (b) or Fig. 'M10 (c), first, lamp L2 or lamp Ll lights up to indicate the replacement of the process material or the occurrence of a jam in the transfer material, and at the same time, the motors M1 and M2 are rotated in the forward direction, respectively. A signal is output that supplies power.

Due to the forward rotation of the motor Ml, the front frame 50 moves as shown in FIG.
The motor M1 is moved from the position shown in a) to the position shown in FIG. 3, and the rotation of the motor M1 is stopped at the position where the light shielding plate 52 on the upper surface switches the 7-point sensor S6 of the apparatus main body from ON to OFF.

As a result, the process cartridge 30 is moved from the first position, where it is possible to form an image in the apparatus, to the third position, where it is possible to clear the jam of the transfer material and to remove the liquid from the apparatus. It can now be removed, allowing efficient replacement and inspection of process materials.

On the other hand, continuing or in parallel with this, the motor M2 rotates forward, and the upper cover 20 rotates from the angle shown in FIG. 1(a) to the third position.
Rotate to the angle shown in the figure to open the opening of the device main body, and the sector gear 21 presses the switch MS2 of the device main body to open the OF
The rotation of motor M2 is stopped at the angle at which it is switched from F to ON.

Therefore, in conjunction with the movement of the process cartridge 30 described above, jamming of the transfer material can also be easily performed.

When the process cartridge 30 is removed from the stand 50 for replacing or replenishing process materials, the process shown in FIG.
), the bottom of the cartridge 30 presses the switch MS3 and turns it from OFF to OFF.
By switching to N, a storage detection signal of the process cartridge 30 is inputted, and a signal for supplying reverse rotation power to the motors M1 and M2 is outputted.

As a result, the process cartridge 30 moves again from the Wg3 position to the initial first position, and the motor M1 stops at the position where the light-shielding plate 52 switches the 7-point sensor S4 of the apparatus main body from OFF to ON, and each process The material is maintained in an imageable condition.

On the other hand, the upper cover 20 rotates clockwise due to the reverse rotation of the motor M2, and the switch MSI is turned on with the sector gear 21.
The device stops at the angle required to switch from FF to ON, and the opening at the top of the device body is closed to enable copying.

In addition, when only the jam removal of the transfer material is performed and the process cartridge 30 remains placed on the pedestal 50, the reset function provided in the operation/display section 60 is reset as shown in FIG. 10(c). By pressing the button 61, a signal is output to supply reverse rotation power to the motors M1 and M2 in place of the action of the switch MS3.

The jam indicator lamp L1 and the replacement indicator lamp L2 are turned off automatically after the process cartridge 30 returns to the first position and the top cover 20 is closed.

As mentioned above, it is also possible to specifically provide an eject button 62 on the operation/display section 60 during the wear/replacement operation so that the motors M1 and M2 are rotated in the normal direction by pressing the eject button 62. Considering the safety of the worker due to automatic opening and closing, the motor M can be reset by pressing the reset button 61 before and after installing the C process cartridge 30.
1 and M2 can also be started at any timing.

Therefore, after confirming that the lamp L1 or L2 is lit, the process cartridge 30 is moved and the upper part 20 is opened and closed by button operations, so the mechanism becomes simple and the work can be carried out safely.

Further, the toner collecting section 30B is provided with a means for detecting excess or deficiency in the amount of waste toner contained therein, and the black (BK) in the lamp L3 is detected by outputting a signal from the means.
The lamp indicating whether there is excess or deficiency of toner lights up.

In this case, the color process cartridge 30 is moved to the third position and taken out from the main body of the apparatus, and the toner collecting section 30B is removed, and the toner is disposed of or replenished.

As shown in FIG. 1(B), the toner collecting section 30B is inserted and supported from the front side of the cartridge 30 via a pair of left and right rail members 30D.

Therefore, the toner collecting section 30B can be easily taken out from the cartridge 30 via the handle 30E by removing the transport pipe 11C connected to the developing device 11 on the front side.

Figure 1(C) shows the DD cross section of Figure 1(b).
When the toner collecting section 30B is taken out from the cartridge 30, the illustrated shutter device automatically operates to prevent the toner from falling from the toner collecting section 30B and the conveying pipe 13C.
Washing away is prevented.

That is, the toner collecting section 30B is provided with a cylindrical outer cylinder 100 having a toner drop opening 100A at its back side, and a bottle whose movement in the axial direction is restricted by the elongated size 100B is installed inside the outer cylinder 100. Inner cylinder 10 comprising 101A
1 is housed so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and is biased by a compression spring 102.

On the other hand, the conveying pipe 13C has a sleeve 103 slidable in the axial direction fitted onto the distal end thereof provided with the toner drop port 13D, and is biased by a compression spring 104.

The toner collection section 30B is the color process cartridge 30
When the inner cylinder 101 is attached to the conveyor pipe 1,
3c to the toner fall port 1OO as shown in the figure.
At the same time, the sleeve 103 comes into contact with the 7 lamp portion of the outer cylinder 100 to open the toner fall port 13D.

Therefore, as soon as the toner collecting section 30B is pulled out, the inner cylinder 101 and sleeve 103 slide in the axial direction under the bias of their respective compression springs, closing the toner drop openings 100A and 13D, and causing the toner to fall and flow out into and out of the device. contamination is prevented.

In the color process cartridge described above in the embodiment, three toner cartridges each filled with yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) toner are attached to the developer replenishing section 30A, and the toner is collected. Part 30B
The toner collection unit 30B has black (BK) replenishment toner in advance, and a mixed color collected toner is added thereto and stirred to obtain black toner for replenishment. As shown in FIG. 11, four toner replenishment hoppers 308 and 309 are used.
, 310° 311 are provided, and the newly installed black (BK) toner replenishment hopper 311 is replenished with toner by replacing the black (BK) toner cartridge 311G. Black on vessel 11 (B
K) Of course, it is also possible to replenish toner.

FIG. 12 shows a transfer drum type image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. The photoreceptor belt 101 and the process cartridge portion disposed around its periphery are approximately the same as those in the previous embodiment, but the transfer drum 200 is brought into contact with the transfer portion of the photoreceptor belt 101. 101 (photoconductor bell) rotates in the direction of the arrow (counterclockwise). A transfer material is wrapped around the outer periphery of the transfer drum 200, a toner image is transferred onto the wrapped transfer material, the transferred toner images are superimposed, and then separated from the transfer drum 200 and fixed and then loaded. This is what was discharged.

A charging device 2011 provided to electrostatically attract the transfer material is provided at a portion a of the circumference of the transfer drum 200. A winding member 202 for mechanically winding the transfer material around the transfer drum 200 is provided. 202 has a roller at its tip and comes into contact only when it is first wound around the transfer drum 200. Further, a gripper 203 is provided on the peripheral surface of the transfer drum 200, and acts to hold the leading edge of the transfer material that is synchronously conveyed. 204 is a transfer device (photosensitive bell) 10
The toner image on 1 is electrostatically transferred onto a transfer material. 20
5 is a separation electrode, and 206 is a separation claw. Also 207
1 is a cleaner that can be brought into contact and separated, and is used to remove toner adhered to the transfer drum 200 after the transfer material has been separated.

The transfer material discharged from the paper feed cassette 114 is transferred to the transfer drum 200, which is charged by the charger 201 while maintaining synchronization.
The yellow (Y ) Transfer the toner image onto a transfer material. After completing the first transfer, the transfer drum 200 continues to rotate, producing a magenta (M) toner image in the second rotation, a cyan (C) toner image in the third rotation, and a black (BK) toner image in the fourth rotation.
The toner images are transferred one after the other. When the transfer of the four-color toner image is completed, the transfer material is transferred to the separation electrode 20.
In step 5, static electricity is removed, and the leading edge of the transfer material is released from being held by the separating claw 206, separated, and conveyed to the fixing roller 118.

In the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the transfer drum 200 is located on the apparatus main body side and is not included in the process cartridge 130, which is movable and removable. Therefore, insertion and removal of the process cartridge 130, jam removal, toner replenishment, etc. are performed in the same manner as in the previous embodiment.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, operations such as replacing and inspecting process materials in the image forming section and replenishing developer can be carried out in appropriate periods of turbulence, and troubles such as transfer material jams can be easily and quickly resolved without missing an opportunity. As a result, it has become possible to provide a color process cartridge for an image forming apparatus that can consistently copy high-quality images with stable image density.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1(a), FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 14 are cross-sectional configuration diagrams of the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. 1(b)
9 is a control circuit diagram, section 10 is a flowchart showing the control process, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the control process. FIG. 7 is a plan view of main parts showing another embodiment. 1... Photoreceptor belt 6... Charger 7... Laser writing system units 8-11... Developer device 12... Transfer device 13...
・Cleaning device 14...Paper feed cassette 20...Top lid 21...Sector gear 30.130...Process cartridge 30A, 13
0A...Developer supply section 30B...Toner collection section 40...Guide rail 5
0... Frame 51... Rack plate 60...
・Operation/display section 308-310...Toner supply hopper 308C-31
0C...Toner cartridge Ll, L2. L3...
(For display) Lamps 81 to S6... Photo sensor SI, MS 2, MS 3... Switch, M2... Motor

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A belt-like image forming body stretched between a plurality of rotating rollers, and a plurality of developing devices disposed below and a cleaning device on the side at the periphery of the belt-like image forming body; A color process cartridge, comprising a plurality of toner hoppers for replenishing toner and a waste toner box for storing toner collected by the cleaning device, and is removable from a main body of a color image forming apparatus. (2) The color process cartridge according to claim (1), wherein each of the plurality of toner hoppers is individually removable and configured to be connected to the developing device.