JPH04162065A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the replenishment of a following toner container without taking an empty toner container out of a device by transferring the empty toner container finished with toner replenishment into a separate place. CONSTITUTION:An empty toner container finished with toner replenishment in a replenishing position 115 is transferred by a transfer means to a storage part 133 provided in a separate place from the replenishing device position in a device so as to secure a replenishing position for a toner container with the following toner accommodated therein. The empty toner containers 122 transferred by the transfer means so as to be stored in the storage means 133 provided removably at the device are taken out as they are in the storage means 133 outside the device by an operator. The work of empty cartridge disposal can be also performed with an opening part for receiving the empty toner container, in the closed state.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses such as electrophotographic or electrostatic recording type copying machines, facsimile machines, printers, etc. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is used by being attached to an apparatus main body.

[Conventional technology]

This type of image forming apparatus uses fine particles called toner stored in a developing unit, which is a developing device within the apparatus, to form a visible image on a recording medium such as transfer paper. This toner is a consumable item, and the developing unit must be replenished each time the amount of toner in the developing unit falls below a predetermined amount.

Various proposals have been made regarding the method of replenishing toner to the developing unit, and these include a method of directly replenishing toner to a replenishing section such as a toner hopper of the developing unit (hereinafter referred to as
A method in which a toner cartridge, which is a container containing toner, is installed in a toner replenishment position such as above the toner hopper opening of the developing unit, and toner is replenished from this toner cartridge (hereinafter referred to as the toner cartridge method). It can be broadly classified into.

In the direct replenishment method, when toner is directly refilled into the toner replenishing unit, the toner easily scatters inside and outside the device, staining the device and the operator's hands and clothes.Currently, most toner cartridge methods are used. It has reached this point.

However, with conventional toner cartridge systems, when the amount of toner in the developing unit falls below a predetermined amount and a new toner cartridge containing toner (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge) is installed, the operator must It is necessary to take out the empty cartridge (hereinafter referred to as an empty cartridge) from the device each time after toner is refilled.
When the empty cartridge is taken out, the problem remains that toner adhering to the walls of the empty cartridge may scatter inside and outside the device, staining the device and the operator's hands and clothes.

Therefore, a plurality of cartridges are configured so that when one cartridge is installed in the toner replenishment position of the developing unit, this cartridge can be sequentially installed in a multilayer core shape inside a previously installed empty cartridge. According to
It has been proposed to allow the operator to replenish toner in the developing unit without removing the empty cartridge from the toner replenishing position to the outside of the apparatus each time a cartridge is installed (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 188171-1983). (see publication).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, according to the above configuration, when a plurality of empty cartridges mounted in a multi-core configuration are taken out of the device as one unit and discarded, the empty cartridges integrated in a multi-core configuration are taken out as they are. Therefore, there is a problem that the toner adhering to the outermost empty cartridge's circumferential surface or the toner replenishment opening of the empty cartridge may float inside the room.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to enable the operator to remove the empty cartridge from the toner replenishment position to the outside of the apparatus each time a cartridge is installed. To provide an image forming apparatus capable of replenishing toner in a developing unit without any trouble, and preventing floating of toner attached to an empty cartridge in a room when the empty cartridge is taken out from the apparatus and discarded. That's true.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is provided with an image forming apparatus including a replenishing section in which toner is replenished from a toner container containing toner, and after replenishing the toner to the replenishing section. To store empty toner containers,
a storage section detachably provided at a location different from a replenishment position where the toner container is located in the apparatus when replenishing toner to the replenishment section; and a storage section for transporting the empty toner container from the replenishment position. and a transfer means for transferring the empty toner container to the toner container, and the storage section is provided with a removable opening for receiving the empty toner container.

[Effect]

In the present invention configured as described above, the empty toner container after being refilled with toner at the replenishment position is transported by the transporting means to a storage section provided in a location different from the replenishment position within the apparatus,
As a result, a replenishment position is secured for the next toner container containing toner, while an empty toner container that has been transferred and stored by the transfer means to the storage means removably provided in the device is stored by the operator. is taken out of the device along with the storage means, and
This functions to close the opening for receiving the empty toner container so that the empty cartridge can be discarded.

〔Example〕

A digital copying machine (hereinafter referred to as a copying machine) which is an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In FIG. 1, this digital copying machine is composed of a reading device (scanner) 10 that is a document reading means, and a copying device (printer) 90 that executes a series of processes for copying the read document information onto paper. Ru.

The electrical components of this digital copying machine will be outlined below with reference to FIG.

In the housing of the reading device 10, a reading control circuit 20,
A reading drive device 3o, an image reading circuit 40, and an image processing circuit 50 are housed, and in the housing of the copying device 90, an image information storage device 6o, which is a storage means for storing read document information, and a copying circuit 70 are housed. , system control device 6
1. The system control device 61 houses an operating device 80 which is an operating means for manually operating keys. This information storage device 60 includes an image memory section 62 and the system control device 61.
It consists of The write drive control circuit 71 and the operating device 80 included in the reading control circuit 2o and the copying circuit 7o are connected to the system control circuit 61 and the signals ML1, L2, L
3, and perform data transmission with each other.

The reading control circuit 20 is connected to the system control circuit 61 through Ll.
It receives signals via the scanner motor 31, controls the rotation speed of the scanner motor 31, controls the heater of the fluorescent lamp 32, instructs the fluorescent lamp 32 to turn on, controls the filter solenoid 33 for detecting the document size, controls the scanner power supply cooling fan, etc. The image reading circuit 40 reads the reflected light from the original at 80dp.
CCD 41.i to convert it into an analog signal. An amplifier 42 that divides the signal from the CCD 41 into odd numbers (ODD>) and even numbers (EVEN) and amplifies them (since the time per pixel is very short, it is divided into two based on the performance of the amplifier);
A switching element 43 and a switching element 4 that combine the ODD and EVEV signals from the above into a serial analog signal.
Variable amplifier 44, variable amplifier ##4, which amplifies the analog signal from 3 using amplification degree instruction data AGC from the image processing circuit 50 for correcting fluctuations in brightness of the fluorescent lamp 32;
A/D converts the analog signal from 4 into a digital signal
It is equipped with a converter 45 and the like. The image processing circuit 50 includes five gate arrays 51 to 55, a clock generation circuit 56, a ROM 57, a RAM 58, etc. in order to process image signals sent from the image reading circuit 40. The gate array 51 performs light amount detection, shading correction, timing control, command control, data editing/output, COD drive clock generation, etc., the gate array 52 performs magnification in the main scanning direction, and the gate array 53 performs halftone processing and binarization processing. , the gate array 54 is in charge of character/halftone separation and hollow editing, and the gate array 55 is in charge of mark area detection. The image memory section 62 is composed of a memory board and a memory control board. A system control circuit 61 controls the entire system and gives instructions for reading and writing image data. Control of the entire system includes monitoring the system's ready status, detecting the transfer paper size and remaining amount, instructing the original reading and paper feeding start, controlling the scanner copy mode and printer copy mode, etc., and reading out image data and writing. When instructing to load data, the remaining amount of memory is checked. The copying circuit 70 includes a line driver circuit 72 that receives image data from the image memory section 62, a laser driver circuit 73 that amplifies the image data signal from the line driver circuit 72, and a semiconductor laser driven by a laser driver circuit 11i1H73. LD) 74, a read drive control circuit 75, a write drive control circuit 71, a drive device 76, and the like. The operation device 80 includes an operation panel 81 equipped with a display for displaying various information and input keys, and an operation control circuit 8.
2 are provided.

Next, the schematic structure and operation of the mechanism section will be explained using FIG. 1, which is a front view showing the schematic structure.

First, the reading device 10 will be explained.

The reading device 10 has a contact glass 306 on which the original is placed.
, a document scale 305 provided on the edge of the contact glass, a document pressure plate 307 that can cover the entire area of the contact glass 306, a takko lamp 301 that illuminates the document below the contact glass 306, and a light beam reflected from the document. Reflecting first to third mirrors 302, 303, 304, third
A lens 308 covered with a cover 309 through which the reflected light from the mirror enters, and a lens C placed at the imaging position of the lens 308.
CD310. An image reading board 311 with a CCD 310 attached and a built-in vignetting A/D converter 45, and an image processing circuit 5
0, a cooling fan 313 for cooling the inside of the device, and the like.

When the original is set on the contact glass 306 and the copy start button on the operation panel 81 is turned on, the optical system such as the fluorescent lamp 301 is moved below the contact glass 306 to scan the original. The reflected light is imaged on the CCD 310 via the lens 308 etc.
Read the manuscript information. The original image formed on the CCD 310 is output as an analog signal in synchronization with the clock from the image processing circuit 50, and after signal amplification, signal synthesis, and variable amplification, is converted into a digital signal by the A/D converter 45.

This digital signal is processed by the image processing circuit 50, converted into digital recorded image information, and outputted to the image information storage device fi60 of the copying device 90.6 Next, the copying device 70 will be explained.6In FIG. A photoreceptor belt 100, which is a body, is passed between upper and lower support rollers 381 and 382, which are provided with their axial directions perpendicular to the plane of the paper and vertically shifted from each other, and are rotated clockwise. At the part where the photoreceptor belt 100 wraps around the upper support roller 381,
Transfer chargers 352 are provided facing each other to form a transfer section. A conveyance path consisting of a conveyance guide plate 383, a first relay roller pair 327, and an intermediate edge-ra pair 349 is formed between this transfer section and a paper tray 348 that is provided horizontally at the top of the device and accommodates the transfer paper. has been done.

A pickup roller 324, a paper feed roller 325, and a reverse roller 326 are arranged in this paper tray 348, and constitute a paper feed device 390. Further, a pair of registration rollers 353 is provided near the transfer portion of the conveyance path. Furthermore, a pair of paper ejection rollers 33 provided at the upper right of the transfer unit and the device
A conveyance path is formed between the conductor separation conveyance belt 351, a fixing device consisting of a fixing roller 335 and a pressure roller 334 equipped with a fixing heater inside, a conveyance roller pair 332, and a conveyance guide plate 384. ing. At the part where the upper support roller 381 of the photoreceptor belt 100 is wrapped, a separation claw 337 is provided downstream from the transfer part in the photoreceptor surface movement direction (hereinafter referred to as the photoreceptor movement direction), and a cleaning fur brush is provided further downstream. 338 and a cleaning blade 339 are provided. A waste toner bottle 340 that stores the toner removed from the photoreceptor belt surface by the cleaning fur brush 338 and cleaning blade 339 is provided on the right side of the downward movement area of the photoreceptor belt surface.

Below the waste toner bottle 340, a static elimination lamp 341 and a charging charge 342 including a grid 343 are provided facing the surface of the photoreceptor belt. This charging charge 342 is connected to a high voltage generator of negative voltage, and uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor belt to -800 volts. Photoreceptor belt 1oOO lower support roller 382
An exposure portion is formed in the winding portion to which a laser beam from a writing optical system unit 385 provided horizontally at the bottom of the device is irradiated. This writing optical system unit 38
5 includes a semiconductor laser 74 (not shown here).
), cylinder lens, polygon mirror 344 rotationally driven by polygon mirror motor 345, f-
θ lens 355, reflective mirror 356, synchronization detection plate 357
etc. are provided. A developing device 386 is provided above the writing optical system unit 385 and includes a developing tank 101 equipped with a developing roller 102 facing an upward moving region of the surface of the photoreceptor belt, and a toner hopper 109. In this developing tank 101, as shown with reference numerals in FIG.
Developing doctor 105 that regulates the amount of developer on 02, separator 106 that guides the developer that is regulated by the developing doctor 105 and returned to the bottom, and developing roller 1.02 in the developing tank 102 in the same axial direction. A fin 107 and a conveying screw I08 that stir the developer, a paddle 1.03 that stirs the developer in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the developing roller 102 in the developing tank 101, and a toner hopper 109 that is a toner replenishment unit. A mixing roller 104 and the like for mixing toner with developer are provided. Further, the toner hopper 109 has its lower part open to the developing tank 101.
A toner supply roller 110 is provided in this opening, and an agitator 111 for stirring the toner inside is also provided. The upper part thereof is opened upward, and this opening (hereinafter referred to as hopper opening) 124 serves as a toner replenishment section into which a cartridge 112 containing toner is attached. A cartridge storage box 133 is provided on the front side of the toner hopper 109 in the drawing because it constitutes an empty cartridge storage section for replenishing the toner hopper 109 with toner and storing the empty cartridge 112 (see FIGS. 4 and 4). (See Figure 5). In addition, the copying device 7
On the earthen wall of No. 0, there are paper trays 346 and 347, pickup rollers 314 and 319, and paper feed rollers 315 and 32 inside.
Additional (optional) paper feeding devices 391, 392 with reverse rollers 316, 321, etc. are arranged.

This paper feeding device 391 includes a third relay roller pair 31.
7, the paper feeding device 392 is provided with a second relay roller pair 322, respectively. Each paper tray 348, 347, 34
6 can be freely pulled out, and is also provided with a set detection sensor and a size detection sensor (not shown). When the set detection sensor detects the set state, it drives a lift motor (not shown) to pick up the transfer paper in the paper tray. Coro 3
24, 314, and 319.

In addition, in order to detect the conveyance status of the transfer paper within the conveyance path, the third relay sensor 318, the second relay sensor 323, and the first
A relay sensor 328, an intermediate sensor 350, a registration sensor 354, a fixing sensor 331, and a paper discharge sensor 329 are provided.

Furthermore, a cooling fan 359 for cooling the polygon motor 345 is provided inside the lower part of the left side exterior part of the device, and the aerodynamic force generated by this suction force - from the airflow flowing from the vicinity of the ridge storage part 133 to this cooling fan, A dust filter 358 for removing toner is also provided.

Each of the above sensors is connected to the CPU 70 via input gate arrays 701 and 702 of the write drive control circuit shown in FIG.
It is incorporated into 3. Sensor groups 390a and 391a in the paper feed device 390, 391, and 392 connected to the input gate array 701.

392a includes a paper size detection sensor, a vapor end detection sensor, a tray set detection sensor, and a connection detection sensor, and includes first to third relay sensors 328, 323, 3
18, the door oven sensor 704 of the paper feeder 390 is also connected. The sensor group 705 connected to the input gate array 702 includes the above-mentioned sensors 3 for paper feeding and conveyance.
50,354.331. ．． 329, each sensor 119, 130 to be described later for cartridge insertion, a main body door oven detection sensor, and an optical sensor 360 which is a toner concentration sensor
etc. are included. Further, the actuator group 707 connected to the output gate array 706 includes a relay clutch and an intermediate clutch for feeding and conveying paper.

Registration clutch, cartridge-related actuators 120, 122, 1, 28, 132 (described later), main motor, cleaning blade solenoid, toner replenishment solenoid, polygon motor 345, fixing heater 336
, a high-voltage power supply circuit for charging, a high-voltage power supply circuit for transfer, a static elimination lamp 341, a toner concentration sensor 360, and the like. Actuator group 390 of paper feed device 390°391.392
b, 391b, 392b (backup solenoid,
Paper feed clutch, e.g. lock solenoid, lift motor) C via serial parallel receivers 708-710
It is connected to the output port of PU703.

In the above configuration, the semiconductor laser 74 in the writing optical system unit 385 emits light in response to digitally recorded image information, which is a binary signal of 1 bit (recording #/non-recording) per pixel, by the laser driver circuit 73. The energized laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser 74 is reflected by the polygon mirror 344, passes through the cylinder lens, the f-theta lens 355, is reflected by the reflection mirror 356, and is irradiated with an image onto the photoreceptor belt 100. Ru. polygon mirror 344
is rotated at a constant speed by a polygon motor 345, and the aforementioned laser beam is scanned in the horizontal direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the photoreceptor belt 100.

The surface of the photoreceptor belt 100 is uniformly charged to -800 volts by the charger 342. When a laser beam emitted based on digitally recorded image information is irradiated onto the uniformly charged surface of the photoreceptor, the charge on the surface of the photoreceptor is transferred to the device via the conductive layer of the photoreceptor belt 100 due to a photoconductive phenomenon. It flows to earth and disappears. Here, the laser is not turned on in areas where the original density is low (the binary signal is at a non-recording level), and the laser is turned on in areas where the original density is high (the binary signal is at the recording level). As a result, the part of the surface of the photoreceptor belt 100 corresponding to the light density part of the original has a potential of approximately minus 800 volts, and the part of the original with high original density has a potential of about -100 volts, which corresponds to the density of the original. An electrostatic latent image is formed. This electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device 386, and the photoreceptor belt 10
A toner image is formed on the surface of 0. In addition, the developing device 386
The toner in the developing tank 10 is negatively charged by stirring, and
The developing roller 102 in the photoreceptor belt 100 is biased to about -550 volts by a developing bias generator, and adheres to the area of the photoreceptor belt 100 where the surface potential is higher than the developing bias, forming a toner image corresponding to the original image.

On the other hand, transfer paper is stored in three paper trays 348, 347.3.
The paper is selected from among the 46, fed and conveyed,
The toner image formed on the photoreceptor belt 100 is transferred by the registration roller 353 at a predetermined timing, and the toner image formed on the photoreceptor belt 100 is transferred by the action of the transfer charger 352. The transfer paper on which the toner image has been transferred is attracted by the conductor separation conveyance belt 351 and separated from the surface of the photoreceptor bell. Thereafter, the transfer paper passes between a fixing roller 335 and a pressure roller 334, toner is fixed thereon, and the paper is discharged onto a paper discharge tray (not shown) by a pair of paper discharge rollers 330.

After the toner image has been transferred to the transfer paper, residual toner is removed from the surface of the photoreceptor belt by a cleaning fur brush 338 and a cleaning blade 339, and then the surface is prepared for the next uniform charging.

Cartridge (hereinafter referred to as cartridge) 11
2 toner hopper (hereinafter referred to as hopper) 1o9
This section explains how to replenish toner.

This is done by loading the cartridge 112 containing toner onto a hopper opening 124, which is a toner replenishment position within the apparatus, and replenishing the hopper 109 with toner through the hopper opening 124.

First, regarding the cartridge 112 used in this embodiment,
This will be explained using FIGS. 4 to 9.

The cartridge 112 used in this embodiment has an outer circumferential shape like a square pyramid with a rectangular bottom cut along a plane parallel to the bottom. A container that can store toner in a cavity. An air vent window is formed on the top wall, and a filter 153 through which toner cannot pass is provided in this window. Further, a magnet 152 is provided approximately at the center of the inner surface of the top wall. A flange 115a extending outward is provided at the edge of the opening of the cartridge 112. A wing portion 115b that extends further outward is approximately at the center of the flange 115a provided on both long sides in the long side direction, and the length of the right flange 115a in the short side direction of the cartridge 112 is the same as that of the left flange. It is formed to be longer than that of 115a. Both ends of the shoulder portions 115b in the long side direction are inclined portions that are inclined upward. A sealing member 114 is provided to cover the entire opening by gluing the flange 115a while containing toner. When this seal member 114 is mounted on the hopper opening 124, the seal removal mechanism described later is located on the left flange 115a side of the cartridge 112, so that the front, rear, left and right flanges 115a after the adhesive is applied. Inside, left flange 11
5a, and after being pasted up to the right flange 115a, it is folded back and its free end is extended to the outer edge of the left wing 115b, and the edge of this free end is attached to the left wing 115b.
is glued to.

Next, the mechanism of the main body of the apparatus related to toner replenishment will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 10, the main body of the apparatus includes a cartridge insertion part consisting of an insertion window 117 for inserting a cartridge 112 formed in an exterior part (hereinafter referred to as front exterior part) 116 on the front of the apparatus, and a cartridge insertion part formed on the exterior part (hereinafter referred to as front exterior part) 116 on the front of the apparatus, and a cartridge insertion part formed on the rear side of the apparatus. a toner replenishment section consisting of a hopper 109; an unsealing means for the cartridge 112 having an unsealing roller 150 disposed on the left side of the hopper opening 124; a sealing member storage section consisting of a seal storage box 151 disposed opposite the unsealing roller 150; Hopper 109
An empty cartridge storage section consisting of an empty cartridge storage box 133 disposed between the front exterior portion 116 and a transport means including a conveyor belt device 121 and a relay guide plate 123 are provided. And the front exterior part 116
As shown in FIG. 11, in addition to the insertion window 117, there is also formed a hole 9116a for loading and unloading the empty cartridge storage box 1.33 constituting the empty cartridge storage section.

The insertion window 117 of the insertion section is formed in a shape that is slightly larger than the cross-sectional shape when the cartridge 112 is cut perpendicularly to the insertion direction;
As a result, the lengths in the horizontal direction of the left and right passages 11117a and 117b of the wing portion 115b and the collar portion 115a of the cartridge 112 are also different in accordance with the lengths of the left and right wing portions 115b in the short side direction. This prevents the cartridge 112 from being inserted sideways or from inserting the cartridge 112 in the wrong direction.

The lower part of the front exterior part 116 is rotatably supported on the inside of the front exterior part 116 on a horizontal axis parallel to the exterior part, and an insertion window 117 is supported in the closed state.
A door 118 is provided which can cover the whole area. The door 118 is normally kept in a closed state by being constantly applied with a turning force in the closing direction by a biasing means (not shown). By pushing the door 118 inward against this turning force, the door 118 is rotated around the horizontal axis. It can be rotated up to about 90 degrees. Then, in the closed state, the surface of the door 118 facing inside the device (
A protruding plate 118a having a protruding portion extending outward from the tip edge is provided at the upper part of the inner surface (hereinafter referred to as the inner surface).

Above the insertion 8117 on the inner surface of the front exterior part 116, a door sensor 119 including a light emitting element and a light receiving element, a lock mechanism including a lock release solenoid 120, and a lock plate 120a fixed to its plunger are provided. ing. The door sensor 119 is installed at a position where the protruding portion of the protruding plate 118a is interposed between the light emitting element and the light receiving element when the door 118 is closed.
When the plunger is pulled out with 18 closed, the lock plate 120a is attached to the front exterior 5116 on the protruding plate 118a.
The locking plate 120a is attached to the protruding plate 118a at a position where it does not engage with the protruding plate 118a when the plunger is sucked.

The upper surface of the M edge of the hopper opening 124 of the toner replenishing section is connected to the upper surface of the peripheral edge and the flange 115a of the cartridge 1 unit 2.
A seal 125 is pasted on the bottom surface to prevent voids from forming. Further, on the side of the front exterior part 116 from the hopper opening O part 124, there is an entry guide part 109a extending from the peripheral part.
A vertical cartridge abutment wall 126 for positioning the cartridge 112 on the hopper opening 124 is formed on the rear side of the apparatus from the hopper opening 124. Further, above the hopper opening 124, as shown in FIG. 13, a roller 131 is rotatably supported by a swingable support plate 131a, and a roller 131 is provided on the support plate 131a in the direction of moving the roller 131 upward. A pressing/impact device consisting of a spring 131b that constantly applies a swinging force, and a pressing solenoid 132 that can apply a swinging force that moves the roller 131 downward to the support plate 131a against the swinging force of the spring 131b. A means for applying is provided.

The unsealing roller 150 of the unsealing means is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.
As shown in the figure, an upper roller pair 150a is fixed to the upper rotation shaft at a constant interval corresponding to the length of the left wing portion 115b of the cartridge 112 in the long side direction, and a lower roller pair 150a is fixed to the lower rotation shaft. A sealing member 1 for sealing the cartridge 112, consisting of a pair of lower rollers 150b fixed at a fixed distance from each other so as to face the respective lower rollers 150a.
14, the lower roller pair 150b
is a cylindrical roller made of elastic material, upper roller pair 15
0a is a roller with unevenness. The upper rotation shaft and the lower rotation shaft are rotatably supported by a link mechanism that allows the distance between them to be changed, and an unsealing motor 12 (not shown)
9 (see FIG. 15). As shown in FIG. 14, this link mechanism includes a spring that constantly applies a biasing force to make the distance between the vertical rotation shafts at least a distance that allows the wing portion 115b to pass between the pair of upper and lower rollers. , resisting the urging force of this spring, the distance between the vertical rotation shafts is changed between the cartridge 11 and the pair of upper and lower rollers.
An unsealing pinch solenoid 128 is connected to the opening pinch solenoid 128, which can be at a distance that pinches the sealing member 114 that seals the opening.

The seal storage box 151, which is the seal member storage section, has a receiving opening for receiving the seal member 114 removed from the opening of the cartridge 112 by the unsealing roller 150.

The empty cartridge storage box 113, which is the empty cartridge storage section, has an opening for receiving the cartridge 112 at the top and is configured to be detachable from the main body of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 11, a window 116a for taking out the device from the main body is provided with a door 116b that can be opened and closed. This empty cartridge storage box 133 will be described in detail later.

The conveyor belt device of the above-mentioned conveyance means is shown in FIGS. 14 and 16.
As shown in the figure, it is composed of left and right conveyor belts 121 driven by a conveyor motor 122 that can rotate forward and backward, and is configured so that it can make surface contact with the left and right inclined walls of the cartridge 112, respectively.
The shaft of the belt pulley is provided parallel to the left and right inclined walls of the cartridge 112. The output shaft 122a of the conveyance motor 122 is provided parallel to the left inclined wall of the cartridge 112, and the output shaft 122a is connected to a belt pulley fixed in the middle and a belt pulley on the back side of the left conveyor belt 121. (The bell is placed between the belt wheel and the belt wheel installed coaxially above)
-170, the driving force can be transmitted to the left conveyor belt 12]. On the other hand, the right conveyor belt is connected to the right conveyor belt through the bevel gear 172 coaxially provided below the belt wheel on the back side of the right conveyor belt 21 that meshes with the bevel gear 171 provided at the lower end of the output shaft 122a of the conveyor motor 122. The driving force can be transmitted to 121. As shown in FIG. 16, the left and right conveyance belts 12L are driven so that the output shaft of the conveyance motor 122 rotates counterclockwise to convey the cartridge 112 to the back side of the apparatus. As the output shaft rotates clockwise, the cartridge 112
is driven so that it can be transported to the front side of the device. Hereinafter, the case where the conveyor belt 121 rotates as shown in FIG. 16 to convey the cartridge 112 to the back side of the apparatus is referred to as normal conveyance, the rotation of the conveyor motor 122 at this time is referred to as forward rotation, and the opposite case is referred to as reverse rotation. This is called conveyance and reverse rotation.

Note that the position of the belt wheels on the front side of the left and right conveyor belts 121 is such that when inserting the cartridge 112 from the insertion 8117, the operator has to forcefully reach inside the device and push the entire cartridge 112 into the device. To avoid this, it is desirable to set the front end of the cartridge 112 to reach the conveyor belt 121 while the rear end of the cartridge 112 is outside the apparatus. It is set so that it is approximately above the center of the direction. Also, conveyor belt 1
The frictional force between 21 and the inclined wall of cartridge 112 is
The material of the conveyor belt 121 and the contact pressure of the cartridge 112 to the inclined wall are set so that the empty cartridge 112 would fall downward under its own weight if there was nothing to support the empty cartridge 112 from below. The relay guide plate 123 of the transfer means has the cartridge 11 on it.
The left and right flanges 115a are placed so that only the wing portions 115b of No. 2 are placed on them.
A pair of guide plates 12 provided parallel to the insertion direction of the cartridge 112 with an interval wider than the width between the outer edges of the cartridge 112.
The end of each guide plate 123 on the front side of the device extends above the opening of the empty cartridge storage box 133, and the end on the back side of the device extends from the peripheral edge of the hopper opening 124. It extends to the side of the entry guide portion 109a. The front edge of the portion of the empty cartridge storage box 133 that extends above the opening is
As shown in FIG. 21, when the cartridge 112 is reversely conveyed by the conveyor belt 21, when the end of the wing part 115b of the cartridge 112 comes off the front edge, the cartridge 1 and 2 are transferred to the empty cartridge storage box 1.
It is set so that it is located approximately in the middle of the front and back direction of 33. Note that during this reverse conveyance, the wings 1 of the cartridge 112
When the end of the cartridge 15b comes off the front edge, the positional relationship between the conveyor belt 121 and the cartridge 112 in the conveyance direction is such that reverse conveyance is possible; Since the door 118 is retracted and there is nothing to support the cartridge 112 from below, the cartridge 112 starts to fall into the empty cartridge storage box 133 and is no longer transported back.

In addition, in order to detect the conveyance state of the cartridge 112,
A cartridge passage detection filler 130a is provided on the conveyance path between the empty cartridge storage box 133 and the hopper opening 5124, which is pressed down by the lower surface of the left flange 115a of the cartridge 112 passing therethrough. (see figure). As shown in FIG. 17, the cartridge passage detection filler 30a is a swinging arm 13 fixed to a rotating shaft 130c to which a counterclockwise rotational force is applied by a spring coil or the like (not shown).
It is attached to the tip of 0d. This rotating shaft 130c
The cartridge opening detection filler 13 whose tip is pushed to the left side of the apparatus by the sealing member 114 removed from the bottom surface of the cartridge 112 by the opening roller 150
0b is also attached. When both detection fillers 130a and 130b are free, the counterclockwise rotational force is balanced with the rotational moment due to the weight of the swing arm 130d, etc., and the lower end of the cartridge opening detection filler 130b is is set to be interposed between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the abutment opening sensor 130.

Next, the operation of the above toner replenishment mechanism will be explained.

18 to 22 are left side views showing the state of the toner replenishment mechanism in each operating state, and FIGS. 23 and 24 are timing charts.

First, the operation from inserting the cartridge 112 into the apparatus main body to toner replenishment on the hopper opening 124 will be explained.
This will be explained using FIGS. 18 to 20 and FIG. 23.

The door 118 of the insertion window 117 is normally in a locked state with the lock release solenoid 120 turned OFF by the lock release solenoid control described later, and the lock release solenoid 120 is turned ON when it is necessary to insert the cartridge 112, such as when the toner is near end. and becomes unlocked.

First, when the cartridge 112 is inserted with the seal member 114 of the cartridge 112 facing downward and the longer right wing portion 115b facing to the right, the cartridge 112 is inserted while pushing the door 1]8 inside the apparatus with the tip of the cartridge 112. As shown in the figure, the door 118 rotates around the horizontal axis at the bottom, stops after rotating approximately 90 degrees, partially covers the opening of the empty cartridge storage box 133, and then closes the empty cartridge storage box 133. 112 from falling into the opening of the empty cartridge storage box 133, and together with the relay guide plate 123 forms a transport path for the cartridge 112 onto the hopper opening 124. At the beginning of this rotation of the door 118, the door 11
The tip of the protruding plate 118a attached to the upper part of the inner surface of the door sensor 119 passes through between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the door sensor 119, and the door sensor 119 is turned on to detect the door oven state.

A transport motor 12 for transporting a cartridge 112 inserted after a certain period of time after the door oven is detected.
As a result, the cartridge 112 is subsequently drawn into the apparatus by the conveyor belt 121 without the operator pushing the cartridge 112. The cartridge 112 has a door 118 and a relay guide plate 123.
is transferred onto the hopper opening 124 while being guided by the
When the leading end (traveling direction of the cartridge 112) reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a, the abutting and unsealing sensor 130 is turned on, and after being further conveyed, the rear end passes through the cartridge passing detecting filler 130a and the abutting and unsealing sensor 130 is turned off. (■ in Figure 23).

During this time, as the rear end of the cartridge 112 passes through the door 118, the door 118 rotates upward and the insertion window 117
Close the door to turn off the door sensor 119. When this butt-opening sensor 130 is turned off (■ in Fig. 22)
), the cartridge 11.2 has been exhausted to a position where its tip abuts against the cartridge abutment wall 126 above the hopper opening 124, which is the toner replenishment position;
In order to further ensure reliability, the conveyance motor 122 is rotated in the normal direction for a certain period of time (T12 in FIG. 23), thereby positioning the toner replenishing position as shown in FIG. 20. Further, from this point on, the process shifts from the operation of transporting the cartridge 112 to the operation of unsealing the cartridge 112.

In the unsealing operation of the cartridge 112 on the hopper opening 5124, first, the abutment unsealing sensor 130 is turned off.
At the timing F (■ in FIG. 23), it is confirmed by the output of the door sensor 119 that the cartridge 112 insertion door 118 is closed, and the door lock release solenoid 1 is activated.
20 is turned OFF, thereby locking the rM closing of the door 118.

In addition, the unsealing pinch solenoid 128 is ONL, and the unsealing roller 150 is used to release the seal member 1 on the left side of the cartridge 112.
While holding the free end of 14, turn the unsealing motor 129 to O.
N, the unsealing roller 150 starts rotating, and the removal of the seal member 114 on the lower surface of the cartridge 112 starts. As a result, the opening of the cartridge 112 is gradually opened by removing the sealing member 114, and the tip of the sealing member 114 reaches the opening detection fin 130b and hits the opening, turning on the opening sensor 130. When this continues and the cartridge 112 and the unsealed seal member 114 are completely separated and the rear end of the seal member 114 passes through the unseal detection fin 130b, the abutment and unseal sensor 130 turns OFF (as indicated by ■ in FIG. 23). ). Since this indicates that the unsealing has been completed, the unsealing pinch solenoid 128 and the opening motor 129 are turned off, and the process shifts from the unsealing operation to an operation for surely dropping the toner inside the cartridge 112.

In the operation to ensure that the toner inside the cartridge 112 is dropped, the pressing solenoid 132 is activated several times at regular intervals (in this example 5 times) ON-O
The roller 131 is turned FF and hits the top surface of the cartridge 112, thereby giving an impact to the cartridge 112 and causing the toner remaining in the cartridge 112 to fall into the hopper. After this, turn the pressing solenoid 132 to
In the N state, the upper surface of the cartridge 112 is pressed by the roller 131, and thereby the flange 1 of the cartridge 112 is pressed.
The lower surface of the cartridge 15a is brought into close contact with the upper surface of a seal 125 (see FIG. 10) on the peripheral edge of the hopper opening 124, so that the cartridge 112 functions as a lid for the hopper opening 124.

On the other hand, at the timing when the above-mentioned push-open sensor 130 is turned OFF (■ in FIG. 23), the main drive motor, which becomes the drive source for the supply roller 110 and the agitator 111 of the developing device 3/86, is turned ONL. After l11fll (T14 in Fig. 23) during the delay until the start of the toner replenishment solenoid for a predetermined time (T1 in Fig. 23),
5) At ONL, supply roller 110 and agitator 111
As a result, the toner in the hopper 109 is replenished into the developing tank 101. This ON time T15
is determined by calculating the toner concentration from the output from the toner concentration detection sensor 360 at the time of toner end, as will be described later.

Status flags indicating the status of the above series of operations are set and reset (1 or 0) in the nonvolatile RAM during and at the end of the series of operations, so that the operation will continue even if the power is momentarily cut off during processing. This enables continuous execution.

Next, the operation of storing the cartridge 112 on the hopper opening 124 into the empty cartridge storage box 133 will be explained using FIGS. 21, 22, and 24.

This operation starts after first storing the near-end state in the non-volatile RAM at the toner near-end time.

It is sufficient that the evacuation of the empty cartridge 112 from above the hopper opening 124 is completed before the next cartridge is inserted due to the toner near end, but in this embodiment, the empty cartridge 112 is placed above the hopper opening 124. In order to prevent toner from scattering into the apparatus by acting as a lid, the hopper opening 12
4, the transfer to the empty cartridge storage box 133, which is the evacuation operation of the empty cartridge 112 from above, is started.

First, the pressing solenoid 132 that was pressurizing the upper part of the cartridge 112 is turned off to retract the roller 131 from the upper surface of the cartridge 112, and the unsealing pinch solenoid 1 is turned off so as not to interfere with the conveyance of the cartridge 112.
28 is also turned off, the unsealing roller 150 is also retracted, thereby securing a conveyance path, and the conveyance motor 122 is reversely rotated to start reverse conveyance of the cartridge 112. After a timing that takes into consideration the sleeve ratio between the transport section and the cartridge 112, the rear end of the cartridge 112 (the end on the insertion window 117 side)
reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and turns on the abutment/opening sensor 130. Further, when the entire cartridge 112 is reversely conveyed and completely passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a, the abutment/opening sensor 130 turns PF. At this point, the cartridge 112 has almost reached the position where the front end of the wings of the cartridge 112 (the hopper opening!+1124 side) has come off the top of the relay guide plate 123, which is the falling start position, but it will continue to fall for a certain period of time (see Fig. 24). At T22), the conveyance motor 122 continues to rotate in the reverse direction, thereby ensuring that the toner falls to the starting position as shown in FIG. The second constant time T22 is the cartridge 1
12 is set to be longer than the time it takes to fall due to its own weight at the drop position and the time from when it passes through the abutting/opening sensor 130 until it is transported to the drop position (taking into consideration the sleeve ratio, etc.). When the above operation is completed, a counter for counting the number of empty cartridges 112 in the empty cartridge storage box 133 on the nonvolatile RAM is incremented (+1).

Here, the empty cartridge 112 falls into the empty cartridge storage box 133 while maintaining a substantially horizontal posture, and at this time, the empty cartridge 112 pushes the air downward into the empty cartridge storage box 133, causing an air flow. occurs. This airflow generates an upward airflow along the inner peripheral surface inside the empty cartridge storage box 133, and therefore, the toner accumulated at the bottom of the empty cartridge storage box 133 is scattered into the cartridge transport path through the opening at the top. There is a risk of it being stored away. In this embodiment, the air vent window provided with the filter 153 on the top wall of the cartridge (see FIG. 6) reduces the airflow when the cartridge falls, contributing to reducing toner scattering into the cartridge transport path. do. Further, if an elastic member such as a sponge is provided at the bottom of the empty cartridge storage box 133, it is possible to further prevent toner scattering by softening the impact when the empty cartridge 112 falls.

From this point on, the new cartridge 112 can be inserted, so the door lock release solenoid j20 is turned on to unlock the door 118.

Also, at this point, toner near end display starts.

As described above, in this embodiment, the cartridge 112 containing toner inserted by the operator through the insertion window 117 on the front side of the main body of the image forming apparatus is forwardly conveyed by the conveyor belt 121 and transferred to above the hopper opening O part 124, and then Opening 124
Seal member 1 sealing cartridge 112 at the top
14 is removed and toner is replenished into the hopper 109. The cartridge 112 that is empty after toner replenishment is
The refilled toner is consumed and the next cartridge 112
Before the empty cartridge is inserted, it is reversely conveyed by the conveyor belt 121 and placed in the empty cartridge storage box 133 from above the hopper opening 124.
will be transferred to. When the empty cartridge 112 becomes full in the empty cartridge storage box 133, the operator moves the empty cartridge 112 into the empty cartridge storage box 1.
33 out of the apparatus and discard the empty cartridge 112.

Therefore, when replenishing toner, the operator usually inserts the cartridge 112 containing toner W! Just insert it into A117, and empty cartridge storage box 13
Empty cartridge storage box 1 even when 3 is full
33 and discard the empty cartridge 112, it becomes easy to install the cartridge 12 and remove the empty cartridge 112, and it is possible to drastically reduce the chance and possibility of contaminating the operator and the surroundings.

For example, if the toner capacity of the toner cartridge 112 of this embodiment is 300 grams, the empty cartridge storage box 13
If the number of cartridges that can be accommodated is 10, the 11th cartridge 112 can be inserted before discarding the empty cartridge 112 in the empty cartridge storage box 133.
Until 3,300 grams of toner is consumed, the operator must insert the cartridge 112 from outside the device body.
This makes toner replenishment work easier. On the other hand, when this mechanism is not used and the space is occupied by a toner hopper and toner is replenished from a bottle etc.,
Due to the layout (for example, see FIG. 12), the hopper 109
The capacity is approximately 4 cartridges] 12, and 1
Toner must be replenished every 200 grams of toner consumed.

Next, the empty cartridge storage box 133 of the above embodiment
An example of this will be explained using FIGS. 25 to 40.

This empty cartridge storage box 133 is directly aerodynamically
A cardboard box 410 that receives the ridge 112 is detachably housed and used.

A drawer handle 421 is fixed to the front of the empty cartridge storage box 133, and a locking frame member 430 is fixed to the lower part of the back. As shown in FIG. 27, with the empty cartridge storage box 133 set in the apparatus main body, a plunger is attached to the apparatus main body part located below the frame member 4.30. A lock release solenoid 431 is fixedly arranged. This lock release solenoid 431 is provided with a spring that always biases the plunger in the direction of pulling it out, and when the lock release solenoid 431 is turned off, the plunger pulled out by the spring penetrates the frame of the frame member 430 of the empty cartridge 112. The arrangement height is set so that when the plunger is turned on, an unlocked state in which the plunger, which is sucked against the biasing force of the spring, comes out of the frame of the empty cartridge 112, is set. Further, a set detection sensor 432 consisting of a light emitting element and a light receiving element is provided at a position facing the frame member 430 when the empty cartridge storage box 133 is set in the main body of the apparatus. The aerodynamic ridge storage box 133 closes the opening 411 of the cardboard box 410 by closing the lid member 413 of the cardboard box 4.10 housed therein in conjunction with the pulling operation of the aerodynamic ridge storage box 133 from the device main body. It is equipped with a vertical movement mechanism that allows it to move in the same direction. This back and forth movement mechanism includes a claw 425 that engages with the upper folding member 414 fixed to the tip edge of the lid member 413 of the cardboard box 410, a moving arm 424 to which the claw 425 is fixed,
This moving arm 424 is moved to the empty cartridge storage box 1.
33 a guide member 422 movably supporting the main body;
423. This movable arm 424 has a claw 425 fixed thereon, and has an empty cartridge storage box 1.
33, a lower horizontal portion 424a that is longer than the width in the left-right direction of the main body, left and right arm portions 424b extending downward at right angles from both ends of this upper horizontal portion 424a, and an empty space extending at right angles from the lower ends of each of the left and right arm portions 424b. It consists of left and right lower horizontal parts 424C extending toward the left and right side surfaces of the cartridge storage box 133. The guide members 422, 423 are composed of left and right groove forming members 422, 423 fixed to the left and right side surfaces of the empty cartridge storage box 133, respectively.
The left and right groove forming members 422 and 423 each have a guide groove into which the tip portions of the left and right lower horizontal portions 424C of the moving arm 424 can slide. These guide grooves include upper and lower horizontal grooves 450 and 451 that have the same length and are formed closer to the back surface of the upper horizontal groove 450, and front and rear inclined grooves 453 and 454 that connect both ends of these upper and lower horizontal grooves 450 and 451 at the front and rear, respectively. It consists of The second upper horizontal groove 45O has a bottom portion that guides the movable arm 424 in a state closer to the comparison angler as shown by the solid line in the front view of FIG. 29, and the lower horizontal portion 424C is shown by the broken line in the front view. As shown, it has a bottom portion that guides the fabric relatively close to it. The front inclined groove 453 guides the moving arm 424 from the front end of the upper horizontal groove 450 to the front end of the lower horizontal groove 451.
In the left-right direction, first there is a first inclined portion 453a having a bottom that guides at the same position as the upper horizontal groove 450, then a first transition portion 453b that has a bottom that guides while moving to the right, and finally a lower horizontal groove 451. It consists of a second vertical portion 453c having a bottom portion that guides at the same position. A lower horizontal groove 45 is formed from the lower end of this second vertical portion.
1 is allowed to move from the second vertical portion 453C to the lower horizontal groove 451 by rotation around its eccentric axis, and is prohibited from moving from the opposite lower horizontal groove 451 to the second vertical portion 453C. A first eccentric member 426a is provided.

Similarly, the rear inclined groove 454 also moves the moving arm 424 into the lower horizontal groove 4.
51 to the rear end of the upper horizontal groove 450, first, in the left-right direction, the third vertically bent portion 454a has a bottom portion that guides at the same position as the lower horizontal groove 451.
, a second transition portion 454b having a bottom portion that guides while moving to the left, and finally a fourth vertical portion 454C having a bottom portion that guides at the same position as the lower horizontal groove 450. The corner that connects the upper end of the fourth vertical portion 454C to the upper horizontal groove 450 has a corner that allows movement from the fourth vertical portion 454C to the upper horizontal groove 450 by rotation around its eccentric axis, and vice versa. Second eccentric member 4 that prohibits movement from the horizontal groove 450 to the fourth vertical portion 454C
26b is provided. In addition, this upper horizontal groove 450 is
Claw 4 of moving arm 424 when being guided here
The height position is set so that the upper folding member 414 fixed to the tip edge of the lid member 413 of the cardboard box 410 in the empty cartridge storage box 133 is maintained at a height. Also, the lower horizontal groove 45
1 is the moving arm 4 when being guided here.
The height is maintained so that the claws 425 of 24 can engage with the upper folding member 4 4 fixed to the tip edge of the lid member 413 of the cardboard box 41.0 in the empty cartridge storage box 133. The location is set.

A cardboard box 410 that is removably placed inside the empty cartridge storage box 133 has an opening 411 formed at the top to receive the empty cartridge 112, and has an inner surface on the front side when placed inside the empty cartridge storage box 133. For example, as shown in FIG.
10 is glued and fixed to the inner surface, and the whole is folded in half. In the figure, reference numeral 500 indicates an adhesive area of the cover member 413, and reference numeral 501 indicates a guide rod when the cover member 413 is pulled out. At the tip of this lid member 413 is the above-mentioned upper folding member 414.
and a lower folding member 415 are provided. In the longitudinal direction of the upper folding member 414, when the movable arm 424 is guided by the first transition portion 453b or the second transition portion 454b of the guide groove, the claw 425 is located in an opposing region for starting and releasing the engagement. A notch @js416 is formed. When the cardboard box 410 is placed in the empty cartridge storage box 133, the lower folding member 415 at the tip of the lid member 413 is engaged with the upper edge of the back side with the lid member 413 covering the opening 411. An upwardly inclined portion 412 that is stopped is formed.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 36 to 39, on both sides of the empty cartridge storage box 133 outlet 116a on the inner surface of the front exterior part 116 of the apparatus main body, the front exterior part 116 is moved while the movable arm 424 is kept in an upright position. A support member is provided that supports the support member movably in a plane parallel to the . This support member is attached to a mounting base 440 that is heavily fixed to the front exterior part 116, one end of which is fixed to the base 440, and the other end protrudes parallel to the front exterior part 116 to the inside of the outlet 116a. A front side support arm 443 is formed as shown in FIG. A pair of upper and lower support rods 44 are formed to protrude in parallel with 443 to the inside of the outlet 116a of the empty cartridge 112.
1 and a biasing means (not shown) that applies an upward rotational force to the rear side support member 442. Normally, the rotational force of the biasing means causes the upward rotation force to be applied to the rear side support member 442. When the back support member 442 is about to rotate, it comes into contact with a stopper 444 provided on the base 440, and the upper and lower support rods 441 are aligned vertically.The vertical support surface of the front support arm 443 and a pair of upper and lower support rods 441,
The horizontal length of the portion of the empty cartridge 112 that protrudes inward from the outlet is determined by the length of the moving arm 4 by the guide member.
24 in the horizontal direction.

The arm portion 4 of the movable arm 424 is located between the vertical support rods 441 arranged in the vertical direction and the vertical surface of the front side support arm 443.
24b is interposed.

In the above configuration, when the empty cartridge 112 is pulled out the most from the main body of the apparatus, FIGS. 28 to 30,
The state shown in FIGS. 38 and 39 is taken. That is, the distal end portion of the lower horizontal portion 422C of the moving arm 424 is supported at the rear end of the upper horizontal groove 450 of the guide member by the second eccentric member 426b while being prohibited from entering the rear inclined groove 454; 424b is supported by a support member within the main body of the apparatus, thereby taking the highest position in the vertical direction and the position furthest to the left in the left-right direction when viewed from the front. In this state, the cardboard box 410 can be attached and detached.

When the new cardboard box 410 is set and the empty cartridge storage box 33 is started to be inserted into the device, the arm portion 424b of the moving arm 424 is supported by the support member in the device and takes a fixed position in the insertion direction. Therefore, the moving arm 424 moves relative to the empty cartridge storage box 133 while being guided by the lower horizontal groove 4.50 of the guide member, and as shown in FIG. reaches the front end of the lower horizontal groove 450 of the guide member. When the insertion operation is further continued, the tip of the lower horizontal portion 422 of the moving arm 424 is guided by the front inclined groove 453 of the guide member, so that the entire moving arm 424 is pulled down, and the first transition portion of the front inclined groove 453 is pulled down. While being guided by 453b, the moving arm 4
24 is moved to the right side, and the insertion is completed as shown in FIG. 25. As shown in FIG. 26, the claw 425 fixed to the upper horizontal part 424a of the moving arm 424 is fixed to the tip of the lid member 413 of the cardboard box 410 while the entire moving arm 424 is being pulled down. passes through the notch 416 of the upper folding member 414, and while the entire moving arm 424 is being moved to the right side,
It comes into engagement with the upper folding member 414. Further, when passing through the corner between the front inclined groove 453 and the lower horizontal groove 451, the first eccentric member 426a is rotated, and after that, the returned first eccentric member 426a prohibits the moving back to the front inclined groove 453. . Furthermore, upon completion of the insertion, the frame member 43 fixed to the lower back of the empty cartridge storage box 133
When 0 is detected by the set detection sensor 432, the lock release solenoid 431 is set to FFL, and the plunger is pulled out by the spring, passes through the inside of the frame member 430, and enters the locked state. A copy operation is performed in this state.

A predetermined number of empty cartridges 112 that can be stored are stored,
When it is necessary to replace the cardboard box 410 with a new one, the lock release solenoid 431 is turned ON under the control of a lock release solenoid 431, which will be described later, and the plunger is retracted and evacuated from the frame member 430, and the empty cartridge is stored. Box 133 can now be pulled out.

When the empty cartridge storage box 133 is started to be pulled out from the main body of the apparatus in this state, the moving arm 424
Since the arm of the moving arm 4 is supported by a support member within the device and takes a fixed position in the drawing direction, the moving arm 4
24 moves relative to the empty cartridge storage box 133 while being guided by the lower horizontal groove 451 of the guide member, and as a result, the lid member 413 with the upper folding member 414 engaged with the claw 425 of the moving arm 424 They are successively pulled out from inside the cardboard box 410 and cover the opening 411 of the cardboard. After the tip of the lower horizontal portion 424c of the moving arm 424 reaches the rear end of the lower horizontal groove 451 of the guide member, the entire moving arm 424 is pushed up by being guided by the rear inclined groove 454. Here, the tip of the lower horizontal portion 424c of the moving arm 424 is connected to the rear inclined groove 45.
The entire movable arm 424 is moved to the left while being guided by the second transition portion 454b of the movable arm 424, and the claw 425 fixed to the lower horizontal portion 424a of the movable arm 424 moves as shown in FIG. While the entire arm 424 is moved to the left, the lid member 413 of the cardboard box 410
It moves to a notch 416 of the upper folding member 414 fixed to the tip of the upper folding member 414, and passes through this notch 416 upwardly by the subsequent upward movement of the entire moving arm 424.

Also, during this time, as shown in FIG. 33, a lower folding member 415 fixed to the tip of the lid member 413 is engaged with an upwardly inclined portion 412 formed on the upper edge of the back surface of the cardboard box 410. By continuing to pull out after this, the fourth vertical portion 454C of the guide groove and the upper horizontal groove 45
While rotating the second eccentric member 426b provided at the corner with 0, the second eccentric member 426b reaches the upper horizontal groove 450, and becomes the most extended state.

Note that when pulled with even greater force from this fully pulled out state, the back side support member 442 of the support member in the device rotates as shown by the broken line in FIG. 37, and the movable arm 424
While the arm portion 424b changes from the standing position to the inclined position,
It is also possible to completely remove the entire empty cartridge storage box 133 from the apparatus by slipping out between the front support arm 443 and the upper and lower support rods 441.

Next, using FIG. 41, a description will be given of the jam detection that the abutment opening sensor has not reached when the cartridge is inserted.

This abutment-opening sensor unreached jam detection occurs after the cartridge starts being transported to the toner replenishment position after insertion.
This is to detect a state in which the tip of the cartridge 112 does not reach the cartridge passage detection filler even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, and this process is performed in the front part of the period from 1 to 2 in the timing chart of FIG.

While the cartridge 1]2 is not inserted, the door open sensor 119 does not generate a rising signal, and the door oven sensor 119 is not ON, so the process proceeds from the first step to the second step, and then from the third step to the fifth step. It resets the insertion unreached jam flag, turns off the insertion unreached jam display, resets the insertion unreached retry counter, and returns.

When the cartridge 112 is inserted, the process progresses from the 1st step to the 6th step to the 7th step based on the rising signal of the door oven sensor 1.1.9 output, and starts the insertion unreached jam timer and sets the insertion flag. After executing the set, when the door open sensor 119 output rises to the ON state, the first step to the second step,
Proceeding to the eighth step, it is determined in this eighth step whether or not the abutment opening sensor 130 is ON. Here, since it takes a predetermined time from insertion of the cartridge until the tip of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a of the abutment-opening sensor 130 and the abutment-opening sensor 130 turns ON, proceed to the ninth step. The count of the insertion arrival jam timer starts when the door oven sensor 119 rises when the cartridge is inserted.
After determining whether or not it exceeds the set value T6, the process returns to the first one.
step, the second step, the eighth step, and the ninth step, and the opening sensor 130 is turned ON at the eighth step.
The process is repeated until it is determined that the state is the same, or it is determined in the ninth step that the contents of the insertion unreached jammer/rmer exceed the set value T6.

This set value T6 is determined by the door oven sensor 11 when the cartridge is inserted during normal cartridge 112 transportation.
9 This is a count value corresponding to the time required for the cartridge tip to reach the cartridge passage detection filler 130a from the time of rising 9 and the dispersion time α, and the count of the insertion unreached jam timer is larger than this set value T6. It is determined whether or not a jam that has not reached the abutment opening sensor has occurred.

When the cartridge 112 is transported normally, the leading edge of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a before the count of the insertion unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T6, and the abutment opening sensor 130 changes to the state ○. Therefore, the process advances from the eighth step to the fifth step, resets the insertion unreached retry counter, and returns.

On the other hand, if the cartridge 112 is not transported normally due to a tilted posture of the cartridge 112, etc., the count of the insertion arrival jam timer becomes larger than the set value T6, and the process proceeds from the 9th step to the 10th step. Thereafter, processing is executed when a jam does not reach the abutment opening sensor.

To deal with a jam that has not reached the abutment opening sensor, the transport motor 122, which is currently rotating in the normal direction, is temporarily stopped, reversed, and then rotated in the normal direction again in order to restore the inclined posture of the cartridge 112 in the transfer path to a normal state. For example, perform this operation up to three times while determining whether or not the abutment opening sensor 130 turns on. If the abutment opening sensor 130 does not turn on even after performing this operation three times, This turns on the insertion/unreached jam indicator and stops the conveyance motor 122.

First, in the tenth step, it is determined whether the content of the insertion unreached retry counter is 3 or more. If it is not 3 or more, the transport motor] 22 is stopped for 500 milliseconds in the 11th step, reversed for 2 seconds in the 12th step, and then the insertion unreached retry counter is incremented in the 13th step.

Next, the transport motor 122 is stopped again in the 14th step, started to rotate forward in the 15th step, and then
In step 1, the insertion reaching jam timer is reset and restarted, and the process returns to step 8. Since this 8th step is immediately after the first retry, it is determined that the normal butt opening sensor 1.30 is not in the ON state, and the 9th step
Proceed to step. In this case as well, since the insertion unreached jam timer has just restarted as described above, the content is determined to be less than the set value T6 and returns. The steps are repeated until it is determined in the eighth step that the abutment/opening sensor 130 is in the ON state, or until it is determined in the ninth step that the content of the insertion/unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T6.

Then, in this first retry, cartridge 112
If the paper is transported normally, the abutment opening sensor 130 will be turned on before the count of the jam timer for insertion exceeds the set value T6, so the process will proceed from the eighth step to the fifth step to check whether the paper has been inserted or not. Reset the arrival retry counter and return.

On the other hand, if the conveyance state of the cartridge 112 remains abnormal, the count of the insertion arrival jam timer is set (1! exceeds T6, so the process moves from the 9th step to the 10th step) without turning on the abutting/opening sensor 130. Further, in the 11th step to the 16th step, the second retry, increment of the insertion unreached retry counter, and restart of the insertion unreached jam timer are executed, and the process returns to the 8th step. Just like after the first retry, go back to the 8th step, then the 9th step,
Thereafter, the first step, the second step, the eighth step, and the ninth step are performed in the eighth step, and the opening sensor 1
．． 30 is in the ON state, or until it is determined in the ninth step that the content of the insertion unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T6.

And even in this second retry, cartridge 11
If the conveyance state of No. 2 remains abnormal, the count of the insertion arrival jam timer reaches the set value T without the abutment opening sensor 130 turning on, as after the first retry.
6, a third retry is performed, the insertion unreached retry counter is incremented, and the insertion unreached jam timer is restarted, and the process returns to the eighth step.

If the conveyance status of the cartridge 112 remains abnormal even after this third retry, the content of the insertion not reached retry counter is 3, so proceed from the 10th step to the 17th step. Set the jam flag, turn on the insertion unreached jam indicator in the 18th step, stop the conveyance motor 122 in the 19th step, and return.
Wait until the cartridge 112 jammed in the transfer path is removed by the operator.

When the operator removes the jammed cartridge 112 from the transfer path and closes the door l1.8, the door oven sensor 119 turns OFF, so the first step
After proceeding to the second step, in the third to fifth steps, the insertion unreached jam flag is reset, the insertion unreached jam display is turned off, and the insertion unreached retry counter is reset, and the process returns.

As described above, when the conveyance of the cartridge 112 is delayed due to a slight inclination in the conveyance path of the cartridge 112, it is possible to restore the normal conveyance state, and
When recovery is not possible, it is possible to prevent a serious jam condition from occurring due to continuous driving of the conveyance motor 122, and to notify the operator of the jam that has not been inserted yet.

In addition, if this insertion-unreached jam occurs when the cartridge 112 is inserted at the near end and the conveyance motor 122 is stopped, the conveyance motor 122 is stopped or the jammed cartridge 112 is simply removed from the conveyance path. Even if the new cartridge 112 is not inserted, the image forming operation itself can continue to be performed, but since toner is not replenished from the new cartridge 112, the remaining toner in the developing tank 101 may be consumed and the toner end may be reached. At this point, the image forming operation is prohibited by control at the time of toner end detection, which will be described later.

Next, a description will be given of detection of a jam by the abutting and unsealing sensor when the cartridge is inserted.

This abutment opening sensor retention jam detection detects a state in which the rear end of the cartridge does not pass through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a even after a predetermined period of time has passed after the leading end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a. This is the processing in the latter half of the period ① to ② in the timing chart of FIG.

The cartridge 112 is inserted, and the transport motor 122 is finally stopped under the control of the jam detection that has not reached the abutment/opening sensor (see FIG. 41).

(see step 19), the insertion flag is set, and the leading edge of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a, and the left flange of the cartridge 112 Since the cartridge passage detection filler 130a is pressed down on the lower surface of the cartridge passage detection filler 115a, the abutment opening sensor 130 is in the ○N state. Then, when the cartridge tip reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and the abutment opening sensor 130 rises,
Proceed through the first step, second step, third step,
After starting the insertion retention jam timer, the process proceeds from the second step to the fourth step, and in the fifth step, it is determined whether or not the abutment opening sensor 130 is ON. Here, the tip of the cartridge is located at the cartridge passage detection filler 1.
30a and the abutment opening sensor 130 is ONL,
After that, it takes a predetermined time for the rear end of the cartridge to finish passing through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and for the abutting and opening sensor 130 to turn off, so proceed from the fourth step to the fifth step. , it is determined whether or not the contents of the insertion retention jam timer, which starts at the rising edge of the output of the abutment opening sensor 130 when the cartridge tip reaches the cartridge passage detection fissure, exceeds the set value T7, and the process returns to the first step. , the second step, the fourth step, and the fifth step, it is determined that the content of the insertion retention jam timer exceeds the set value T7 in the fifth step, or the abutment opening sensor 130 is turned ON in the fourth step. Execute repeatedly until it is determined that there is no condition.

This set value T7 is determined when the cartridge 112 is normally conveyed, from when the front end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and when the unsealing sensor 130 starts up, until the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 1.
This is a count value corresponding to the time required to pass through 30a plus the variation time α, and a jamming jam occurs in the abutment opening sensor depending on whether the content of the insertion retention jam timer is greater than this set value T7. 1X or not.

When the cartridge 112 is transported normally, the rear end of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a before the count of the insertion retention jam timer exceeds the set value T7, and this causes the output of the abutment opening sensor 130. falls from the ON state, and the rear end of the cartridge has already passed through the free edge of the door 118 and entered the door 1.
18 returns to the closed state and the door oven sensor 119 also turns O.
Since it is in the FF state, the program proceeds from the fourth step to the sixth to eighth steps, resets and resets the insertion/retention retry counter in the eighth step, and returns.

On the other hand, if the cartridge 112 is not transported normally due to a tilted posture of the cartridge 112, etc., the count of the insertion retention jam timer becomes larger than the set value T7, and the process proceeds from the fifth step to the ninth step. onwards,
Execute the process when the unseal sensor accumulates in a jam.

In order to restore the tilted posture of the cartridge 112 in the transfer path to a normal state, the processing when the jam is caused by the abutment and unsealing sensor remaining is similar to the processing when the abutment and the unsealing sensor has not reached the jam described above. The transport motor is once stopped, then reversely rotated, and then forwardly rotated again, for example, up to three times while determining whether or not the abutment opening sensor 130 is in the ON state. If the abutment/opening sensor 1.30 does not turn on even after the insertion, the insertion/retention jam indicator is turned on and the conveyance motor 122 is stopped.

First, in the ninth step, it is determined whether the content of the insertion retention retry counter is 3 or more. If it is not 3 or more, the conveyance motor 122 is stopped for 50 milliseconds in the 10th step, reversely rotated for 2 seconds in the 11th step, and then the insertion retention retry counter is incremented in the 12th step. Next, the conveyance motor 122 is stopped again in the 13th step, started to rotate forward in the 10th step, and the insertion retention jam timer is reset and restarted in the 15th step. return. Since this second step is immediately after the first retry, the abutting/opening sensor 130 normally remains in the ON state and the process proceeds to the second, fourth, and fifth steps. Since this fifth step is also immediately after the insertion retention jam timer has been restarted, it is determined that the contents of the insertion retention jam timer do not exceed the set value T7, and the process returns to the first step, second step, and subsequent steps. 4th step and 5th step
The process is repeated until it is determined that the abutment/opening sensor 130 is not in the ON state in step 3, or it is determined that the content of the insertion retention jam timer exceeds T7 (l!!T7) in step 5.

Then, the first retry of the second cartridge 1.1
If the conveyance state of 2 becomes normal, the rear end of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and hits the opening sensor 1.2 before the insertion retention jam timer exceeds the set value T7. , 30 falls from the ON state, and
The rear end of the cartridge has already passed through the free edge of the door 118 and the door 118 has returned to the closed state, and the door oven sensor 11
9 is also in the FF state, the program proceeds from the fourth step to the sixth to eighth steps, resets the insertion retention retry counter at the eighth step, and returns.

On the other hand, if the conveyance state of the cartridge 112 remains abnormal, the count of the insertion retention jam timer exceeds the set value T7 while the abutment opening sensor 130 remains in the ON state, so the process proceeds from the fifth step to the ninth step. Furthermore, the first
Second retry from step 0 to step 15,
Increment the insertion retention retry counter and restart the insertion retention jam timer, return to the second step, proceed to the fourth step, then return to the fifth step in the same way as after the first retry, Hereafter, the first step, second step, fourth step, and fifth step are as follows:
The process is repeated until it is determined in the fourth step that the abutting and opening sensor 1.30 is not in the ON state, or until it is determined in the fifth step that the content of the insertion retention jam timer exceeds the set value T7.

And even in this second retry, cartridge 11
If the conveyance status of No. 2 remains abnormal, the abutment opening sensor 130 remains ON and the count of the insertion retention jam timer reaches the set value T, as in the case after the first retry.
7, proceed from the 5th step to the 9th step, and further execute the 3rd retry, increment the insertion retention retry counter, and restart the insertion retention jam timer in the 10th step to the 15th step. , return to the second step.

If the conveyance status of the cartridge 112 remains abnormal even after this third retry, the contents of the insertion and retention counter are 3, so the process proceeds from the 9th step to the 16th step and the insertion and retention state is The jam flag is set, the insertion jam indicator is turned on in the 17th step, and the conveyance motor 122 is stopped and returned in the 18th step.
Wait for 2 to be removed.

When the cartridge 112 jammed in the transfer path is removed by the operator, the output of the abutment opening sensor 130 falls from the ON state during this removal operation, and the door 118 closes and the door open sensor 119 turns off. OFF, so the first step, second step, fourth step,
The process proceeds to the sixth step, the seventh step, and the eighth step, and in the eighth step, resets the uninserted count/ride counter and returns. In the second example, turning off the insertion jam indicator and resetting the insertion retention jam flag are executed by a reset button provided on the device. These resets may also be reset by the cartridge removal operation, similar to the time of removing the jam that has not reached the abutment/opening sensor described above.

As described above, when the conveyance of the cartridge 112 is delayed due to some inclination in the conveyance path, it is possible to restore the normal conveyance state, and
When recovery is not possible, it is possible to prevent a serious jam condition from occurring due to continuous driving of the conveyance motor 122, and to notify the operator of the insertion retention jam.

In addition, if this insertion retention jam occurs when inserting the cartridge 112 at the near end and the conveyance motor 122 is stopped, the conveyance motor 122 is stopped or the jammed cartridge 112 is simply removed from the conveyance path. Even if the new cartridge] 12 is not inserted, the image forming operation itself can continue to be performed, but since toner is not replenished from the new cartridge 112, the remaining toner in the developing unit may be consumed and the toner will run out. At this point, the image forming operation is prohibited by the control at the time of toner end detection, which will be described later, which is similar to the control for the jam that has not reached the opening sensor in the above-mentioned case.

Next, using FIG. 43, a description will be given of the jam detection that the abutting unsealing sensor has not reached when the cartridge is unsealed.

This jam detection when the cartridge is unsealed and the unsealed sensor does not reach the hopper opening 124
Abutment opening sensor 1 when the rear end of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a after being conveyed to the top.
This is to detect failure in removal of the seal member 114 on the lower surface of the cartridge by the unsealing roller 150 rotated by the unsealing motor 129 which is turned on at the same time as the timing chart 30 is turned off. This is the processing in the first half.

Since the cartridge 112 is inserted and the insertion flag is set, the process proceeds from the first step to the second step, and when the output of the abutment/opening sensor 30 falls and a signal is present, the process proceeds from the third step to the fifth step. The insertion flag is reset, the unopened flag is set, and the unopened jam timer is started, and the process returns to the first step. Since the insertion flag is reset in the third step and the unsealing flag is set in the fourth step, the process progresses from the first step to the sixth step and then to the seventh step, and in the seventh step, the rising signal of the abutting and opening sensor 130 is detected. See. Here, the protruding edge of the sealing member 11.4 removed from the lower surface of the cartridge from the start of rotation of the unsealing roller 150 reaches the cartridge tamper detection filler 130b of 30, and the abutted opening sensor is detected. Since it takes a certain amount of time for 130 to turn on,
Proceeding from the 7th step to the 8th step, it is determined whether or not the count of the unopened jam timer, which starts at the fall of the output of the abutted open sensor 130, exceeds the set value T8, and returns. , 1st step, 6th step
step, the seventh step, and the eighth step, in the eighth step, it is determined that the inner limit of the unopened jam timer exceeds the set value T8, or in the seventh step, it is determined that the rising signal of the abutment and opening sensor 130 is present. Repeat this process until it is determined.

This set value T8 is determined when the free edge of the sealing member 114 hits the cartridge opening detection filler 130 of the cartridge opening sensor 130 from the time the output of the cartridge opening sensor 130 falls during normal cartridge opening operation.
This is a count value corresponding to the time required to reach point b plus the variation time α, and the unopened jam timer determines whether or not the unopened jam timer count is greater than the set value T8. It is determined whether or not this is occurring.

When the cartridge 112 is opened normally, the free edge of the seal member 114 reaches the cartridge tamper detection filler 130b before the count of the unopened jam timer exceeds the set value T8, and the abutment sensor Since the output of 130 rises, the program proceeds from the seventh step to the ninth step, resets the unopened retry counter, and returns.

On the other hand, if the cartridge 112 is not opened normally due to the unsealing roller 150 not holding the free end of the seal member 114 properly, the count of the unopened jam timer becomes larger than the set value T8 and the cartridge 112 is not opened properly. The process advances from the 8th step to the 10th step, whereupon a process is executed when the jam has not reached the abutment/opening sensor.

To deal with the jam when the abutment opening sensor has not reached the unsealing sensor, the unsealing motor 129 is temporarily stopped and the unsealing pinch solenoid 128 ○FF
L, this causes the pinch solenoid 12 to be released again after the free end of the sealing member 114 is released from the unsealing roller 150.
8 and starts driving the unsealing motor 129.
For example, perform this operation up to three times while determining whether or not the push-open sensor 130 starts up. If the push-open sensor 1.30 does not start up even after performing this operation three times, the unopened jam indicator turns on the unsealing motor 129 and stops the pinch solenoid], 28
The opening operation of the cartridge 112 is stopped by turning FF.

First, in the tenth step, it is determined whether the contents of the unopened and unreached retry counter are 3 or more. If it is not 3 or more, the unsealing motor unit 29 is stopped in the 11th step, and the pinch solenoid 128 is set to ○FFL, 13th step in the 12th step.
After incrementing the unopened retry counter in step 1, the pinch solenoid 12 is activated again in step 1.
8 and at the same time turn on the unsealing motor 12 in the 15th step.
Turn on 9 to start retrying to open the cartridge,
In the 16th step, the unopened jam timer is reset and the process returns to the 7th step. Since this seventh step is immediately after the first retry, it is normally determined that there is no rising signal of the abutment opening sensor 130, and the eighth step is performed.
Proceed to step. Here too, since the unopened jam timer has just restarted, its contents are set at T8.
After that, the first step, the sixth step, the seventh step, and the eighth step are executed. The process is repeated in 8 steps until it is determined that the content of the unopened jam timer exceeds the set value T8.

Then, in this first retry, cartridge 112
If the jam is opened normally, the jam sensor 130 starts up before the count of the unopened jam timer exceeds the set value T8, so the process proceeds from the 7th step to the 9th step, and the unopened jam timer is restarted. Reset try counter and return.

On the other hand, if the opening operation state remains abnormal, the count of the unopened jam timer exceeds the set value T8 without the abutment opening sensor 130 starting up.
Proceeding from the step to the 1st O step, and further, in the 11th to 16th steps, execute the second retry, increment the unopened unreached retry counter, and restart the unopened unreached jam timer, Go back to the 7th step and repeat the 8th step as you did after the first retry.
The first step, the sixth step, the seventh step, and the eighth step are repeated until it is determined that there is a rising signal of the opening sensor 130 after reaching the end in the seventh step, or in the eighth step. This process is repeated until it is determined that the content of the unopened jam timer exceeds the set value T8.

If the unsealing operation status remains abnormal even after this second retry, the count of the unopened jam timer continues without the abutment opening sensor 130 starting up, just as after the first retry. When the set value T8 is exceeded, the process advances from the 8th step to the 10th step, and further, in the 11th to 16th steps, the second retry, the increment of the unopened unreached retry counter, and the increment of the unopened unreached jam timer are performed. Execute a restart and restart the 7th
Return to step.

If the opening operation status remains abnormal even after this third retry, the content of the unopened unreached retry counter is 3, so proceed from the 10th step to the 17th step and check the unopened unreached jam flag. is set, the unopened jam indicator lights up in the 18th step, the unopened motor 129 is stopped in the 19th step, and the pinch solenoid 128 is turned OFF in the 20th step to return to the cartridge in the refill position by the operator. Wait for 112 to be removed.

After the cartridge 112 jammed in the transfer path is removed by the operator, when the cartridge 112 is reinserted, the insertion flag is set, and in the same manner as above, the cartridge 112 is detected when the cartridge is opened and the unopened jam is detected. Detection is performed again.

As described above, the sealing member 11 by the unsealing roller 1.50
When the cartridge 112 cannot be opened due to poor clamping of the free end of the cartridge 112, it is possible to restore the normal unsealing operation state, and if it is not possible to restore the cartridge 112, the seal may be seriously damaged due to continued unsealing operation. member 114 and cartridge 112
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a jam state in the main body, and to notify the operator of a jam that has not reached the abutment opening sensor when opening the cartridge.

Next, using FIG. 44, a description will be given of how the abutting unsealing sensor retains jam when the cartridge is unsealed.

This abutment unsealing sensor retention jam detection at the time of cartridge unsealing is performed even if the unsealing operation of the cartridge 112 continues after the free edge of the sealing member 114 reaches the cartridge tampering detection filler 130b of the abutting unsealing sensor 130. This is to detect the state in which the rear end of the cartridge remains without coming out of the cartridge opening detection filler 130b, and is the process in the latter half of the period (1) to (2) in the timing chart of FIG.

When the cartridge 112 is on the hopper opening 124 and the unsealing operation is continued without being stopped under the control of the abutment unsealing sensor unreached jam detection during cartridge unsealing, the unsealing flag is set. , and the free end of the seal is the cartridge tamper detection filler 13.
0b, the cartridge opening detection filler 1 is detected by the seal removed from the bottom surface of the cartridge by the opening roller 150.
Since 30b is pressed down, the butt opening sensor]
, 30 are in the ON state. Then, when the free end of the seal reaches the cartridge tamper detection filler 130b and the tamper sensor 130 starts up, the process proceeds through the first step, second step, and third step, and after starting the tamper retention jam timer, The process advances from the second step to the fourth step, and in this fourth step, it is determined whether or not the abutment/opening sensor 130 is ON. Here, after the free end of the seal reaches the cartridge tampering detection filler 130b and the abutment opening sensor 130 is turned on, until the rear end of the seal member passes through the cartridge tampering detection filler 130b and the abutment opening sensor 130 turns OFF. Since it takes a predetermined time, the process proceeds from the fourth step to the fifth step, and the cartridge tampering detection filler 130 at the free end of the seal is detected.
It is determined whether or not the contents of the unsealed jam timer, which starts at the rising edge of the output of the abutted unsealed sensor 130 when b is reached, exceeds the set value T9, and the process returns to the first step, second step, and fourth step. step and the fifth step,
The process is repeated until it is determined in the fourth step that the abutting and opening sensor 130 is not in the ON state, or until it is determined in the fifth step that the content of the insertion retention jam timer exceeds the set value T9. This set value T9 is the time required from when the free end of the seal reaches the cartridge tamper detection filler 130b and the tamper sensor 130 rises until the rear end of the seal (rear end of the member passes through the cartridge tamper detection filler 130b) in a normal seal opening operation. It is a count value corresponding to the time obtained by adding the variation time α to the jam timer, and it is determined whether or not a jam jam has occurred due to the abutment opening sensor, depending on whether the content of the unseal jam timer is greater than the set value T9. ing.

When the cartridge 1]2 is opened normally, the rear end of the sealing member is detected by the cartridge opening detection filler 13 before the content of the opening retention jam timer exceeds the set value T9.
0b and the output of the abutting and opening sensor 130 falls from the ON state, so the process proceeds from the fourth step to the sixth step and the seventh step, and in the seventh step, the unsealing retention retry counter is reset, and further, In the eighth step, the opening flag is reset, and in the ninth step, the toner near end flag is set, and the process returns.

On the other hand, if the cartridge 112 is not opened properly due to a problem such as poor gripping of the seal member 114 by the unsealing roller 1.50, the abutment opening sensor I30 remains ON and the content of the unsealing jam timer is set to the set value. Since T9 is exceeded, the process proceeds from the fifth step to the tenth step, and thereafter, processing for the case of jamming due to abutment and opening sensor retention is executed.

To deal with jams caused by the abutment and unsealing sensor retention, the unsealing motor 29 is temporarily stopped and the unsealing pinch solenoid 128 is activated by ○FFI, etc. in order to restore the normal state due to poor gripping of the seal member 114 by the unsealing roller 150, etc. As a result, after the sealing member 114 is released from the unsealing roller 150, a retry operation of turning on the unsealing pinch solenoid 128 again and starting driving the unsealing motor 129 is performed to determine whether the abutting unsealing sensor 130 is no longer in the ON state. For example, if the retry operation is performed up to three times while determining the retry operation, if the push-open sensor 130 remains in the ON state, the unseal accumulated jam indicator is lit and the unseal motor 129 is turned on. Pinch solenoid 128 for stopping and opening
OFF to stop the operation of opening the cartridge 112.

First, in the 10th step, it is determined whether the contents of the unsealing retention retry counter are 3 or more. If it is not 3 or more, the opening motor 129 is stopped in the 11th step, the opening pinch solenoid 128 is set to 0FFL in the 12th step, the unopened retry counter is incremented in the 13th step, and the opening motor 129 is set to OFF again in the 14th step. The pinch solenoid 128 is turned on, and at the 15th step, the unsealing motor 129 is turned on to start a retry operation, and at the 16th step, the unopened jam timer is reset and restarted, and the process returns to the second step. Since this second step is immediately after the first retry, the abutment opening sensor 130 is normally ON, so the fourth and fifth steps
Proceed step by step.

In this fifth step as well, since the opening jam timer has just been restarted as described above, the content is determined to be lower than the set value 9 and returns, and from then on, the first, second and fourth steps are executed. and the fifth step are repeatedly executed until it is determined in the fourth step that the unseal sensor 130 is not in the ON state, or until it is determined in the fifth step that the content of the insertion retention jam timer exceeds the set value T9. .

If the seal opening operation status becomes normal in this first retry, the rear end of the seal member will pass through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and hit the cartridge passage detection filler 130a before the count of the opening retention jam timer exceeds the set value T9. Since the unsealing sensor 130 falls from the ON state, the process proceeds from the fourth step to the sixth to ninth steps and returns.

On the other hand, if the seal opening operation state remains abnormal, the abutment opening sensor 130 remains ON and the content of the opening retention jam timer exceeds the set value T9, so the process proceeds from the fifth step to the tenth step, and further, From the 11th step to the 16th step, execute the second retry, increment the unsealed jam retry counter, and restart the unsealed jam timer, return to the second step, and after the first retry. Similarly, the process proceeds to the 4th step, the 5th step and returns, and thereafter the 1st step, 2nd step, 4th step, and 5th step are performed until the opening sensor 130 hits the 02 state in the 4th step. The process is repeated until it is determined that the jam timer exceeds the set value T9, or it is determined in the fifth step that the content of the unsealed jam timer exceeds the set value T9.

If the unsealing operation remains abnormal even after this second retry, the content of the unseal retention jam timer is set without the abutting unsealing sensor 130 turning on, as after the first retry. When the price exceeds 9, proceed from the 5th step to the 1st ○ step, and then from the 11th step to the 16th step, perform the third retry, increment the open and hold retry counter, and restart the open and hold jam timer. ) and return to the second step.

If the opening operation remains abnormal even after this third retry, the content of the opening retention retry counter is 3, so proceed from step 1○ to step 1○ and clear the opening retention jam flag. In the 18th step, the unpacking accumulated jam indicator lights up, in the 19th step, the unpacking motor 129 is stopped, and in the 20th step, the unpacking pinch solenoid 128 is turned off and returned to the replenishing position by the operator. Wait for a certain cartridge 112 to be removed.

After the operator removes the cartridge [12] from the replenishment position and transports the re-inserted cartridge 112 to the replenishment position, if the opening operation of the cartridges 11 and 2 is started, the poke at the time of seal opening is performed in the same way as above. Execute the unopened jam detection again.

As a result of the above, the sealing member by the unsealing roller 150 ] 14
If the seal cannot be opened due to poor clamping of the free end of the seal, it is possible to return the seal to normal opening operation, and if it is not possible to restore the seal, it is possible to cause serious damage due to continued opening operation. It is possible to prevent jamming of the seal member 114 or the main body of the cartridge 112, and to notify the operator of a jam remaining in the opening sensor when the seal is opened.

Next, using FIG. 45, a description will be given of the jam detection that the abutment opening sensor has not reached when the cartridge is dropped.

This jam detection when the cartridge is dropped and the unsealing sensor has not reached the end is detected even if a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the conveyance motor 122 is reversely rotated and reverse conveyance from above the hopper opening 124 to the empty cartridge storage box 133 is started. This is to detect the state in which the rear end of the cartridge (the rear end in the transport direction at the time of insertion) does not reach the cartridge passage detection filler 130a, and is indicated by ↓ to ■ in the timing chart of FIG.
This is the processing for the first half of the period.

This reverse conveyance is started by the rise of toner end detection, so from the first step to the second step,
Proceed to the third step, start the fall 1 unreached jam timer and set the fall 1 flag, then return to the first step and proceed to the fourth step. Decide whether or not. Here, since it takes a predetermined time from the start of reverse conveyance until the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a of the abutment-opening sensor 130 and the abutment-opening sensor 130 turns ON, the fifth step is performed. Proceeding, it is determined whether the count of the falling l unreached jam timer that has started exceeds the set value T3, and the process returns.
The first step, the fourth step and the fifth step are
The process is repeated until it is determined that the abutment/opening sensor 130 is in the ○N state in step 3 or that the content of the insertion/unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T3 in step 5.

This set value T3 is set such that during normal reverse conveyance of the cartridge 112, the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 13 from the time when the toner near end rising signal is generated.
This is a currant value corresponding to the time required to reach 0a plus the variation time α, and it is determined whether or not the cartridge hits when it falls depending on whether the count of the fall 1 jam timer is greater than this set value T3. It is determined whether a jam that has not reached the opening sensor has occurred.

Then, when the cartridge 112 is normally reversely conveyed, the count of the drop 1 unreached jam timer reaches the set value T.
3, the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a, and the abutment opening sensor 13
0 is turned ON, the process proceeds from the fourth step to the sixth step, resets the fall 1 unreached retry counter, and returns.

On the other hand, if the cartridge 1] 12 is not transported normally due to a tilted posture of the cartridge 1] 2, the count of the drop 1 unreached jam timer becomes larger than the set value T3, and the process starts from the 5th step. Proceed to step 7,
Thereafter, processing is executed when a jam does not reach the abutment opening sensor.

To deal with a jam that has not reached the abutment opening sensor, in order to restore the inclined posture of the cartridge 112 in the transfer path to a normal state, the transport motor 122 that is currently rotating in reverse is temporarily stopped, then rotated in the forward direction, and then rotated in the reverse direction again. Rotating retry motion,
For example, perform this operation up to three times while determining whether or not the abutment opening sensors 1 and 30 are in the ON state, and even if this retry operation is performed three times, the abutment opening sensor ↓30 remains ON L.
If there is no jam, the unreached jam indicator is turned on and the transport motor 122 is stopped.

First, in the seventh step, it is determined whether the content of the fall 1 unreached retry counter is 3 or more. 3 or more, the conveyance motor 122 is stopped for 500 milliseconds in the eighth step, rotated forward in the ninth step, and then dropped in the tenth step. Next, the conveyance motor 122 is stopped again in the 11th step and started to rotate in reverse in the 12th step, and then the drop 1 unreached jam timer is reset and restarted in the 13th step. return. Since this fourth step is immediately after the first re-lay, it is determined that the normal abutment/opening sensor 30 is not in the ON state, and the process proceeds to the fifth step. In this case, as mentioned above, the fall 1 unreached jam timer has just restarted, so the contents are the settings (determined to be dT3 or less, returns, and then repeats the 1st, 4th, and 5th steps). The process is repeated until it is determined in the fourth step that the abutting/opening sensor 130 is in the ON state, or until it is determined in the fifth step that the content of the insertion unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T3.

Then, in this first retry, cartridge 112
If the reverse conveyance state becomes normal, the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a before the content of the drop 1 unreached jam timer exceeds the setting gT3, and the push-open sensor 130 turns ON. Therefore, proceed from the fourth step to the fifth step, reset the fall 1 unreached retry counter, and return.

On the other hand, if the reverse transport state of the cartridge 112 remains abnormal, the abutment opening sensor 130 remains ON and the cartridge 112 is dropped.
Since the content of the unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T3, the process advances from the 5th step to the 7th step, and further, in the 8th to 13th steps, the second retry and the unreached retry counter are incremented. and falling] Restart the unreached jam timer and restart the 4th jam timer.
Return to the step, and proceed to the 4th and 5th steps in the same way as after the first retry, and then go back to the 1st, 4th, and 5th steps, and then hit and open the package at the 4th step. The process is repeated until it is determined that the sensor 130 is in the ON state or that the content of the fall 1 unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T3 in the fifth step.

If the reverse conveyance status remains abnormal even after this second retry, the abutment opening sensor 130 remains ON and the drop 1 unreached jam timer is set as after the first retry. When the content exceeds the set value T3, the process advances from the 5th step to the 7th step, and then from the 8th step to the 1st step.
At step 0, the third retry is performed, the retry counter for fall 1 not reached is incremented, and the jam timer for fall 1 not reached is restarted, and the process returns to step 4.

If the reverse conveyance status remains abnormal even after this third retry, the content of the retry counter for fall 1 not reached is 3, so proceed from the 7th step to the 14th step. The jam flag is set, the falling cartridge unreached jam indicator is turned on in the 14th step, and the conveyance motor 122 is stopped and returned in the 16th step, and the operator removes the jammed cartridge 112 in the conveyance path. wait for.

As described above, when the reverse transport of the cartridge 112 is delayed due to a slight inclination in the reverse transport path of the cartridge 112, it is possible to restore the normal reverse transport state, and when it is impossible to restore the reverse transport, the transport It is possible to prevent a serious jam condition from occurring due to continuous driving of the motor 122, and to notify the operator of a jam that has not reached the drop level.

Next, using FIG. 46, a description will be given of how the abutting and unsealing sensor retains a jam when the cartridge is dropped.

This abutment and unsealing sensor retention jam detection when the cartridge is dropped is performed even if a predetermined period of time elapses after the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a during reverse conveyance of the cartridge 12. This is the processing for the first half of the period (2) to (2) in the timing chart of FIG. 24.

The reverse conveyance of the cartridge 112 is started, and the conveyance motor 122 is finally stopped by the control of the jam detection that the unsealing sensor has not reached when the cartridge falls.
(See step 16 in FIG. 5), while the reverse transport of the cartridge 112 continues, the fall 1 flag is set, and the rear end of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a. Since the cartridge passage detection filler 30a is pressed down on the lower surface of the left side flange 1.15a of the cartridge 112, the abutment opening sensor 1.30 is in the ON state. Then, the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and hits the cartridge opening sensor], 30
When it stands up (2nd step, 2nd step,
After proceeding to the third step and starting the fall 1 retention jam timer, the process proceeds from the second step to the fourth step, and in this fifth step, the opening sensor 130 is detected as being open.
Determine whether it is N or not.

At this point, the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 1.30a and hits the opening sensor 1.30a. ,3
0 turns on, the cartridge tip passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and hits the opening sensor 1.
Since it takes a predetermined time for 30 to turn off, the fourth
Proceeding from the step to the 5th step and starting the fall 1! After determining whether or not the contents of the retaining jam timer exceed the set value T4, the process returns, and thereafter the first step, the second step, the fourth step, and the fifth step are performed. The process is repeatedly executed until it is determined that it is not in the ON state or it is determined that the contents of the drop 1 retention jam timer exceed the set value T4 in the fifth step.

This set value T4 varies depending on the time required from when the rear end of the cartridge reaches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and the abutment opening sensor 130 rises until the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a at the front end of the cartridge during normal reverse conveyance of the cartridge 112. This is a count value corresponding to the time obtained by adding time α, and it is determined whether or not a jamming jam has occurred in the abutment opening sensor depending on whether the contents of the fall 1 jamming jam timer are larger than this set value T4. There is.

When the cartridge 112 is normally reversely conveyed, the count of the fall 1 retention jam timer is set to T4.
The tip of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 1.30a before the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 1.30a, and as a result, the output of the cartridge opening sensor 130 falls from the ON state, so the steps from the fourth step to the sixth step to the eighth step Go ahead and reset the fall 1) lag and fall 1 dwell retry counter and go back.

On the other hand, if the cartridge 112 is not transported normally due to a tilted posture of the cartridge 112, etc., the abutment opening sensor 1. , 30 remain ON, the count of the fall 1 retention jam timer becomes larger than the set value T4, and the process proceeds from the 5th step to the 9th step, whereupon the processing for the abutment opening sensor retention jam is executed.

In order to restore the tilted posture of the cartridge 112 in the transfer path to a normal state, the process for jamming when the cartridge is dropped and the unsealing sensor is not reached is as follows: Similarly to the process, the transport motor 22 which is rotating in reverse is once stopped, then rotated in the forward direction, and then retried in the reverse direction again, while determining whether or not the opening sensor 130 will no longer be in the ON state due to a rock bump, for example. This operation is performed up to three times, and if the end-of-open sensor [30] remains in the ON state even after performing this operation three times, the falling 1 retention jam indicator lights up and the conveyance motor 122 is stopped. .

First, in the 9th step, it is determined whether the content of the fall] retention retry counter is 3 or more. If it is not 3 or more, the transport motor 122 is stopped for 500 milliseconds in the 10th step,
After 2 sand pressure rotations in the 10th step, the fall 1 stay retry counter is incremented in the 12th step. Next, the conveyance motor 122 is stopped again in the 13th step, started to rotate in reverse in the 14th step, and then the drop 1 retention jam timer is reset and restarted in the 10th step, and then returned to the 2nd step. , proceed to the fourth step. Since this fourth step is immediately after the first retry, the normal abutting and unsealing processor 130 remains in the ○\ state and the process advances to the fifth step. In this fifth step as well, since the fall] retention jam timer has just restarted, it is determined that the content of the fall 1 retention jam timer is less than or equal to the set value of 4, and the process returns. Step, 4th step, and 5th step, in the 4th step, it is determined that the opening sensor] 30 is not in the ON state, or in the 5th step, the content of the drop 1 retention jam timer exceeds the set value T4. Execute repeatedly until determined.

Then, in this first retry, cartridge 112
If the reverse conveyance state becomes normal, the tip of the cartridge will pass through the cartridge passage detection filler 30a and the output of the abutment opening sensor 130 will fall from the ON state before the drop 1 retention jam timer exceeds the set value T4. , the process proceeds from the fourth step to the sixth to eighth steps, resets the fall 1 flag and the fall hold retry counter, and returns.

On the other hand, if the reverse conveyance state of the cartridge 112 remains abnormal, the count of the fall 1 retention jam timer exceeds the set value T4 while the abutting and opening sensor 130 remains in the ON state, so the process moves from the fifth step to the ninth step. Proceed further,
From the 10th step to the 15th step, execute the second retry, increment the fall 1 retention retry counter, and restart the fall 1 retention jam timer, return to the 2nd step, and perform the first retry. In the same way as before, proceed to the 4th step, then return to the 5th step, and from then on,
The first step, the second step, the fourth step, and the fifth step are determined such that the abutment/opening sensor 130 is not in the ON state in the fourth step, or the content of the drop 1 retention jam timer is determined in the fifth step. The process is repeated until it is determined that the value exceeds the set value T4.

And even in this second retry, cartridge 11
If the reverse conveyance state of No. 2 remains abnormal, the count of the fall 1 retention jam timer exceeds the set value T4 while the abutment opening sensor 130 remains ON, as after the first retry. Proceed from the 5th step to the 9th step,
Furthermore, in the 10th to 15th steps, a third retry, incrementing of the fall 1 retention retry counter, and restart of the fall 14 stop jam timer are executed, and the process returns to the second step.

If the reverse transport status of the cartridge 112 remains abnormal even after this third retry, the content of the drop] retention retry counter is 3, so proceed from the 9th step to the 16th step, The stuck jam flag is set, the fall 1 stuck jam indicator is turned on in the 17th step, and the transport motor 122 is stopped and returned to the 8th step, so that the cartridge 112 jammed in the transport path is removed by the operator. wait until

When the cartridge 1) or 2 jammed in the transfer path is removed by the operator, the output of the abutment opening sensor] 30 falls from the ○\ state during the second removal operation, so the first step and the second step Step 4, step 4, step 6, step 7, and step 8, the program resets the drop 1 flag and the insertion unreached retry counter, and then returns.

In this example, turning off the falling 1 accumulated jam indicator is executed by a reset button provided on the device. These resets may also be reset by the curl/ridge removal operation, similar to the removal of jams that have not reached the abutment/opening sensor during cartridge insertion. Also, conversely, fall 1 stays jam flag glue πt, fall 1 stays again)
- The reset button provided on the device may be used to reset the lie counter and turn off the fall 1 accumulated jam indicator.

As described above, when the reverse transport of the cartridge 112 is delayed due to some inclination in the reverse transport path of the cartridge 112, it is possible to restore the normal reverse transport state, and when it is impossible to restore the cartridge 112, it is possible to , it is possible to prevent a serious jam condition from occurring due to continuous driving of the conveyance motor 122, and to notify the operator of a falling jam.

Next, using FIG. 47, a description will be given of the jam detection that the drop sensor has not reached when the cartridge is dropped.

This jam detection when the cartridge falls does not reach the drop sensor, and the tip of the cartridge is the cartridge passing detection filler 1.
30a, the cartridge 112 does not reach the drop sensor placed at a predetermined position in the empty cartridge storage box 33 even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the cartridge 112 has passed through the empty cartridge storage box 30a. This is a period-based process.

When the empty cartridge storage box 133 falls to the bottom,
Since the process starts after the leading end of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a due to reverse conveyance of the cartridge 112, the falling flag is set. and,
Cartridge tip is cartridge passage detection filler 1.3
By passing through 0a and generating a falling signal from the abutment opening sensor 130, the process proceeds from the first step to the fifth step, resetting the fall 1 flag, setting the fall 2 flag, and setting the fall 2 unreached jam timer. Execute the start and return to the first step. Since we have already reset the fall 1 flag and set the fall 2 flag, this first
The process proceeds from the step to the sixth step and then to the seventh step, and in the seventh step it is determined whether there is a fall signal from the fall sensor.

Here, it takes a predetermined time for the cartridge 112 to reach the drop sensor in the empty cartridge storage box 133 after the cartridge tip passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a and the opening sensors 1 and 30 fall. , proceeds from the seventh step to the eighth step, judges whether the content of the falling 2 unreached jam timer that has started exceeds the set value T5, and returns, and thereafter proceeds to the first, sixth, and sixth steps. The 7th step and the 8th step are repeatedly executed until it is determined in the 7th step that there is a falling signal from the fall sensor, or it is determined in the 8th step that the fall 2 unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T5. .

This set value T5 is determined by adding the variation time α to the time required for the tip of the cartridge to pass through the cartridge passage detection filler], 30a, to start falling normally, and to reach the drop sensor in the empty cartridge storage box 133. It is determined whether or not a drop sensor retention jam has occurred based on whether or not the content of the drop 2 unreached jam timer, which is a count value corresponding to the time when the drop sensor has reached the set value T5, is greater than the set value T5.

When the cartridge 112 starts falling normally, the count of the fall 2 unreached jam timer is set to T.
5, the cartridge 112 reaches the drop sensor, and as a result, the output of the drop sensor rises, so proceed from the 7th step to the 9th step, reset the drop 2 retry counter, and return. If the cartridge 112 does not start falling normally due to the attitude of the cartridge 112 being tilted near the falling position, the fall sensor does not stand up and the count of the fall 2 unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T5. Then, the process proceeds from the eighth step to the tenth step, and thereafter, processing for a jam when the fall sensor has not reached is executed.

The process for jamming when the drop sensor does not reach the cartridge when the cartridge falls is to stop the transport motor 122, which has stopped at the end of reverse transport, for a predetermined period of time in order to restore the tilted posture of the cartridge 12 near the drop position to the normal state. Execute the retry operation of rotating the reverse direction three times, for example, while determining whether or not the drop sensor starts up. If the fall sensor does not start up even after performing this operation three times, the fall 2 unreached jam indicator will be displayed. It lights up.

First, in the 10th step, it is determined whether the content of the fall 2 unreached retry counter is 3 or more. If it is not 3 or more, the first
In one step, the transport motors J and 22 are rotated in reverse for 2 seconds,
In the 12th step, the fall 2 unreached retry counter is incremented. In the 13th step, the fall 2 unreached jam timer is reset and restarted, and the process returns to the first step. Thereafter, in the 1st step, 6th step, 7th step, and 8th step, it is determined that there is a rising signal of the fall sensor in the 7th step, or the fall 2 unreached jam timer is set to the set value in the 8th step. Repeat execution until it is determined that T5 has been exceeded.

Then, in this first retry, cartridge 112
If the curl ridge 112 starts falling normally, the curl ridge 112 reaches the fall sensor and the output of the fall sensor rises before the fall 2 unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T5, so steps 7 to 9 are performed. Proceed to Fall 2 Not Reached Reset the try counter and return.

On the other hand, if the cartridge 112 does not start falling normally, the fall sensor will not start up and the count of the fall 2 unreached jam timer will exceed the set value T5.
The process proceeds from the step to the 10th step, and further, from the 11th step to the 13th step, the second retry, the increment of the fall 2 unreached retry counter, and the restart of the fall 2 unreached jam timer are executed. Return to step 1, and repeat steps 1, 6, 7, and 8 in the same way as after the first retry.
The steps are repeated until it is determined in the seventh step that there is a rising signal from the fall sensor, or until it is determined in the ninth step that the fall 2 unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T5.

And even in this second retry, cartridge 11
2 does not start falling normally, as after the first retry, the fall sensor does not start up and the count of the fall 2 unreached jam timer exceeds the set value T5, and the process starts from the 8th step. Proceed to step 10, and then step]
In the J step to the 13th step, the third retry, the increment of the fall 2 unreached retry counter, and the restart of the fall 2 unreached jam timer are executed, and the process returns to the first step.

The cartridge 112 does not start falling normally even after retrying this third concave (in other words, since the content of the retry counter that does not reach fall 2 is 3, the process proceeds from the 10th step to the 14th step and falls 2). The unreached jam flag is set, the drop 2 unreached jam indicator is turned on in the 15th step, and the process returns to wait for the cartridge 112 remaining near the drop position to be removed by the operator.

When the operator removes the cartridge 112 remaining near the drop position and operates the reset button provided on the device, the drop 2 not reached jam flag is reset, the drop 2 not reached retry counter is reset, and the drop 2 not reached is reset. Turn off the jam indicator.

As described above, the cartridge 112 near the drop position
If the cartridge 112 does not start falling due to some inclination of the cartridge 112, it is possible to make it start falling normally.
Further, when the falling cannot be started, the operator can be informed that the falling jam has not yet reached 2.

Next, using FIG. 48, a description will be given of the drop sensor retention jam detection when the cartridge is dropped.

This drop sensor retention jam detection when a cartridge is dropped is to detect a state in which the cartridge 112 does not come out of the drop sensor even after a predetermined period of time has passed after the cartridge 112 starts falling and reaches the drop sensor. Second
This is the processing in the latter half of the timing chart in FIG.

When the cartridge 112 starts falling, reaches the drop sensor, and continues to fall and is passing through the sensor, the fall 2 flag is set (see step 4 in FIG. 47).
, the fall sensor is in the ON state. When the cartridge 112 reaches the drop sensor, the drop sensor starts up, and the process proceeds through the first step, second step, and third step, starts the drop 2 retention jam timer, returns to the second step, and starts the fourth step. Proceed to.

Here, since it takes a predetermined time from when the cartridge 112 reaches the drop sensor and the drop sensor stands up until the cartridge 112 passes through the drop sensor, the fourth
Proceeding from the step to the fifth step, it is determined whether the contents of the falling 2 retention jam timer that has started exceeds the set value T6, and the process returns. The 5 steps are repeated until it is determined in the 4th step that the drop sensor is not in the ON state, or until it is determined in the 5th step that the content of the drop 2 retention jam timer exceeds the set value T6.

This set value T6 is a count value corresponding to the time required for the cartridge 112 to pass through the drop sensor from the time when the drop sensor rises when the cartridge 112 reaches the drop sensor in a normal fall of the cartridge 112, plus the variation time α. It is determined whether or not a drop sensor retention jam has occurred depending on whether the content of the drop 2 retention jam timer is greater than the set value T6.

Then, when the cartridge 112 continues to fall normally, the contents of the fall 2 retention jam timer will be set [T6] before the cartridge 112 passes through the drop sensor and the output of the drop sensor will fall from the ON state. The process proceeds from the 4th step to the 6th step and to the 7th step, and in the 7th step, the fall 2 flag is reset, and in the 8th step, the toner near end flag is set, and the process returns.

On the other hand, if the cartridge 112 is tilted from the horizontal position when it starts falling and falls with its opening facing sideways, the entire cartridge 112 cannot pass through the drop sensor and a part of the cartridge 112 is empty. If the cartridge reaches the bottom of the storage box 133 or the empty cartridge 112 already stored there, the fall sensor remains ON and the content of the fall 2 retention jam timer exceeds the set value T6. The program proceeds from the step to the ninth step, where the falling 2 staying jam flag is set, and at the 10th step, the falling 2 staying jam indicator is turned on.

This notifies the operator that a fall 2 jam has occurred.

Next, the control of locking and releasing the cartridge insertion section door will be explained using FIG. 49.

Since there is a risk that floating toner inside the device may scatter out of the device through the cartridge insertion window 117, it is desirable that the door 118 of the cartridge insertion window 117 cannot be opened except when necessary.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a lock release solenoid 120 is used to make it possible to open the door 118 of the insertion window]17.
is driven only when all certain conditions are satisfied, and door 1 is opened.
18 can be opened.

The first condition is that toner near end or toner end is detected by toner concentration detection control, and this is
Judge by steps. When these are detected,
This is because it is necessary to insert the cartridge 112 containing toner.

The second condition is that the fall flag is not set, and this is determined in the second step. This fall flag is set by a toner near end rising signal that starts the reverse transport of the cartridge 112 (see the third step in FIG. 45), and when the cartridge 112 is reversely transported, the leading end of the cartridge touches the cartridge passage detection filler 130a. The drop 1 flag is reset by the falling signal of the abutment opening sensor 130 when the package is pulled out (see step 3 in FIG. 47), and the drop 1 flag is set simultaneously with the reset of the drop 1 flag (see step 3 in FIG. (see step 4), and is reset by the fall signal of the drop sensor when the entire cartridge 112 passes through the drop sensor in the empty cartridge storage box 133 (see step 7 in FIG. 48). The fall 2 flag is included.When the fall 1 flag is set, the cartridge 112 is being transported backwards and the cartridge 112 is being transported in the transport path.
exists, and when the fall 2 flag is set, the cartridge 112 has started falling to the bottom of the empty cartridge storage box 133, but the cartridge 112 has started falling with its opening turned sideways. This is to prevent the insertion of the next cartridge 112 when at least one of them is in the set state, since there is a possibility that some of the cartridges 112 are present in the transfer path.

The third condition is that the open flag is not set, and this is determined in the third step. This opening flag is set by the falling signal of the abutment opening sensor 130 when the rear end of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a when the cartridge is inserted (see step 4 in FIG. 43), and is set by the opening roller 150. When the rear end of the seal removed from the bottom surface of the cartridge passes through the cartridge tamper detection filler 130b, it is reset by a signal at the falling edge of the tamper sensor 130 (fourth
(See step 8 in Figure 4). Therefore, when this unsealing flag is set, the cartridge 112 is on the hopper opening 124 and the unsealing roller 150
This is to prohibit the insertion of the next cartridge 112 since the unsealing operation of cartridge 112 has already been performed.

The fourth condition is that toner is not being replenished, and this is determined in the fourth step. This is to prevent the insertion of the next cartridge 112 since the cartridge 112 is placed above the hopper opening 124 to serve as a lid for the hopper opening 124 during toner replenishment.

The fifth condition is that the number of inserted cartridges is not greater than the number of cartridges that can be stored in the empty cartridge storage box 133 plus one, and this is determined in the fifth step. This number of inserted cartridges is the total number of cartridges 112 inserted into the device while using one cardboard box 410, and is the total number of cartridges 112 inserted into the device after the insertion operation of the cartridges 112 is completed (for example, after the third step in FIG. 43). It is counted up and stored in, for example, a non-volatile memory so that it is not cleared even when the main power of the device is turned off. The number of cartridges that can be inserted into the device is the number of cartridges that can be stored in the empty cartridge storage box 133 plus the number of cartridges that can be installed on the hopper opening 124.
This is because the insertion of the next cartridge 112 is prohibited after the number of inserted cartridges reaches this number.

The sixth condition is that the empty cartridge storage box 133 exists at a predetermined location, and this is determined in the sixth step. When the empty cartridge storage box 133 is pulled out from the apparatus, the empty cartridge 112 cannot be reversely conveyed or dropped into the empty cartridge storage box 133, so insertion of the next cartridge 112 is prohibited.

When all of the above conditions are satisfied, the door lock release solenoid 120 is turned ON in a seventh step to make it possible to open the door. If any one of these is not satisfied, the door lock release solenoid 120 is turned off in the eighth step to maintain the door lock state.

Next, the inhibition control of toner replenishment operation will be explained using FIG. 50.

When the toner concentration detection control detects that the toner concentration has decreased below the desired concentration and the toner replenishment request flag is set (if YES in the first step)
Also, the toner replenishment operation is prohibited if any of the following conditions are satisfied.

The first condition is that the number of dropped cartridges is not equal to the number of inserted cartridges minus 1, and this is set as the second condition.
Judge by steps. This number of dropped cartridges is the total number of cartridges 112 that have fallen into the cardboard box 410 while one cardboard box 410 is being used, and is the total number of cartridges 112 that have fallen into the cardboard box 410 while one cardboard box 410 is being used. ) is counted up by the fall counter, and the main power of the device is turned off.
For example, it is stored in a non-volatile memory so that it is not cleared even if F is executed. If the number of dropped cartridges is equal to the number of inserted cartridges minus 1, hopper opening 1
If this condition is satisfied, for example, if the number of dropped cartridges is equal to the number of inserted cartridges, the cartridge 112 inserted last is transported backwards by the toner near end rising signal and becomes an empty cartridge. After being stored in the storage box 133, the cartridge 112 does not exist above the hopper opening 124. If toner is replenished when the cartridge 12 is not present on the hopper opening 124, the agitator 111 inside the hopper 109 due to toner replenishment
Toner replenishment is prohibited because toner may scatter from the hopper opening 124 into the apparatus, particularly into the cartridge transfer path, due to mechanical vibrations caused by the drive of the cartridge.

The second condition is that the insertion flag is set, and this is determined in the third step. The insertion flag is set by the rising signal of the door oven sensor (step 7 in FIG. 41), and is set by the opening sensor 130 when the rear end of the cartridge passes through the cartridge passage detection filler 130a due to conveyance during cartridge insertion. It is reset by the falling signal (third step in FIG. 43). Therefore, if this insertion flag is set, the hopper opening 12 after the cartridge 112 is inserted.
4 and the cartridge is being transported onto the hopper opening 12.
Since the cartridge 112 is not present on the cartridge 4, toner replenishment is prohibited because the toner will scatter into the device in the same manner as described above.

The third condition is that the open flag is set, and this is determined in the fourth step. As described above, this unsealing flag is set during the unsealing operation of the cartridge 112 by the unsealing roller 150, and during this cartridge unsealing operation, the roller 131 that presses the upper wall of the cartridge toward the hopper opening 5124 is in an inactive state. Even if the cartridge 112 is present on the hopper opening 124, it cannot sufficiently serve as a lid and the toner will scatter into the device in the same way as described above, so toner replenishment is prohibited.

The fourth condition is that the fall flag is set, and this is determined in the fifth step. These fall flags include the above-mentioned fall 1 flag and fall 2 flag. Since the cartridge 1] 22 is not present on the hopper opening 124 while at least one of these is in the set state,
Similar to the above, toner replenishment is prohibited.

The fifth condition is that the toner end flag is set, and this is determined in the sixth step. This toner end flag is set in the copy operation prohibition control based on toner end detection, which will be described later (step 4 in FIG. 51), and is reset in the toner density detection control. This is immediately after the toner near-end flag, which is set when the cartridge 112 is reversely transported and dropped into the empty cartridge storage box 133 (step 8 in FIG. 48), is reset, and the hopper opening unit 24 Since there is no cartridge 112 above, toner replenishment is prohibited in the same way as above.

The sixth condition is that the toner end flag is set, and this is determined in the sixth step. It is set when the process of dropping into the cartridge storage box 133 is completed (step 8 in FIG. 48, and will be described later). Copy operation prohibition control based on toner end detection (step 5 in FIG. 51) or toner concentration. This is reset by detection control, and is in the set state immediately after the process of dropping the empty cartridge into the empty cartridge storage box 133 is completed, and the cartridge 1 is placed on the hopper opening 124.
12 does not exist, toner replenishment is prohibited in the same way as above.

If any of the above conditions are satisfied, toner replenishment is prohibited, and only when all of these conditions are not satisfied, the sixth
Toner is replenished in steps.

Next, copy operation prohibition control based on toner end detection will be explained using FIG. 51.

Copy operation prohibition control based on toner end detection is performed because the desired image density cannot be obtained at toner end when there is almost no toner in the developing tank 101.
This prohibits copy operations.

In the first step, it is determined whether the toner near-end flag is set. This toner near-end flag is set at the time when the process of dropping the cartridge 1]2 into the empty cartridge storage box 133, which is executed when the toner near-end is detected by the toner concentration detection control as described above, is completed (48th (8th step in the figure). If the toner near-end flag is set, the second step increments the near-end copy counter when paper is fed during the copy operation, and the third step determines whether the content of the near-end copy counter is 50 or more, and returns if it is not 50 or more. Thereafter, the first to third steps are repeated until the third step determines that the content of the near-end copy counter is 50 or more. If it is determined in the third step that the content of the near-end copy counter is 50 or more, the toner end flag is set in the fourth step, and the toner near-end flag is reset in the fifth step and the process returns. Thereafter, the process proceeds from the first step to the sixth and seventh steps, and in the seventh step, new paper feeding operations are prohibited, thereby prohibiting copying operations. The toner near-end flag and toner end flag are reset when the toner concentration increases due to toner replenishment, and when they are in the reset state, the process proceeds to the first step, the sixth step, the eighth step, and then the eighth step. Clear the near-end copy counter with a step.

Note that this near-end copy counter is stored, for example, in a nonvolatile memory so that it is not cleared even when the main power of the apparatus is turned off.

Next, with reference to FIG. 53, the control for allowing the empty cartridge storage box 133 to be attached and detached when it is full will be explained.

When the empty cartridge storage box 133 is pulled out from the apparatus, even if the toner near-end is detected and the next cartridge 112 needs to be inserted, the empty cartridge 112 can be reversely transported from above the hopper opening 124. Therefore, a situation occurs in which the next cartridge 112 cannot be inserted. Therefore, it is desirable that the empty cartridge storage box 133 cannot be removed from the apparatus except when necessary.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the empty cartridge storage box 13
A lock release solenoid 431 (see FIGS. 25 and 27) that enables the empty cartridge storage box 133 to be removed from the apparatus is activated only when certain conditions are satisfied.

The first condition is that the content of the drop counter is greater than or equal to the number N of cartridges that can be stored, and this is determined in the first step. The drop counter counts the number of empty cartridges 112 that have fallen into the empty cartridge storage box 133 as described above, and if this stored number is smaller than N, then it is possible to store more empty cartridges 112. , N or more.

The second condition is that the contents of the opening counter be greater than or equal to N+1, and this is determined in the second step. This opening counter counts the number of cartridges 112 whose openings have been opened, and is incremented after the opening operation is completed (for example, after the eighth step in FIG. 44), and the main power of the device is turned off. For example, it is stored in a nonvolatile memory so that it is not cleared even if it is turned off. The reason for this condition is as follows. As mentioned above, the total number of cartridges 112 that can be inserted into the device is the number N that can be stored in the empty cartridge storage box 133 and the hopper opening g.
Since the number of cartridges is N+1 with the one on ll 124, it is not necessary to take out the empty cartridge storage box 133 while the number of inserted cartridges is N. On the other hand, this N+
Autumn cartridge 112 of the first cartridge 112
In order to insert the N+
Since it is necessary to store the first cartridge 112 in the empty cartridge storage box 133, it is necessary to store the first cartridge 112 in the empty cartridge storage box 133.
It is necessary to make the empty cartridge storage box 133 removable before the reverse transport of the second cartridge 112 to the empty cartridge storage box 133 begins. Therefore, it is conceivable to make it possible to take out the N+1th cartridge 112 when the insertion operation is completed, but after the insertion operation is completed, a jam that does not reach the abutting sensor when opening the cartridge or a stuck jam occurs for that cartridge 112. ,
As a result of it being removed from above the hopper opening 124 by the operator, it may not be subject to reverse transport. Therefore, in order to judge whether or not it is necessary to make the cartridge 112 ready for removal based on the number of cartridges in the device at the stage when the cartridge 112 to be the target of reverse transport is determined, after the unsealing operation is completed when the cartridge 112 is determined to be the target of reverse transport. An opening counter is used to count the number of cartridges, and the condition is that the content is N+1 or more.

Then, all of these conditions can be taken out when titrating.

First, in the first step, it is determined whether the contents of the drop counter are greater than or equal to the number N of cartridges that can be stored.

If the content of the fall counter is not greater than N, the process proceeds to the third step and assumes a locked state. Conversely, if the content of the drop counter is N or more, it is determined in a second step whether the content of the opening counter is N+1 or more. Here, if the contents of the opening counter are not N+1 or more, the process proceeds to the second step and a locked state is established. Conversely, if the contents of the opening counter are N+1 or more, the process proceeds to a fourth step to release the locked state, thereby making the empty cartridge storage box 133 ready for removal. Next, in the fifth step, the empty cartridge storage box 133 (storage box
) has been taken out, and if it has been taken out, clear the fall counter in the 6th step, and clear the fall counter in the 7th step.
In this step, the contents of the opening counter and the insertion counter are subtracted by N and the contents are returned. From then on, the program proceeds from the first step or the second step to the third step until the above two conditions are titrated again, and the lock state is maintained. I take the. On the contrary, the fifth
If it is determined in the step that the empty cartridge storage box 133 has not been taken out, it is determined in the eighth step whether or not the toner has run out. Until it is determined that the cartridge storage box 133 has been taken out or it is determined that the toner has run out in the eighth step.
In the fourth step, the first step, second step, fourth step, fifth step, and eighth step are repeatedly executed while the locked state is released.

If it is determined that the empty cartridge storage box 133 has been taken out in the fifth step, the drop counter is cleared in the sixth step, and the contents of the opening counter and the insertion counter are cleared in the seventh step, in the same way as above.
Subtract and return.

Conversely, if it is determined in the eighth step that the toner has run out, a new paper feeding operation is prohibited in the ninth step, thereby prohibiting the copying operation. At this time, the empty cartridge storage box 133 remains unlocked.

Incidentally, when the lock release solenoid 431 is turned on and the lock is released, reverse conveyance of the empty cartridge 112 above the hopper opening 124 is not started.

Next, the lighting control process of the toner near-end indicator will be explained using FIG. 54.

Conventionally, when toner near-end is detected by toner concentration detection control, a toner near-end indicator is lit to prompt toner replenishment. However, in this embodiment, when the toner near end is detected by the toner concentration detection control, first, a process for dropping the empty cartridge 112 above the hopper opening 124 into the empty cartridge storage box 133 is executed. During this drop process, since the empty cartridge 112 is present in the cartridge transport path,
The next cartridge 112 cannot be inserted.

Further, the door 118 of the cartridge insertion window 117 of the cartridge 112 is locked by the cartridge insertion section door lock/release control described above (second step in FIG. 49). Therefore, if the toner near-end indicator is unconditionally turned on when the toner near-end is detected, the door 1.18 of the insertion window 117 will be closed even if the operator attempts to insert the cartridge 112 as prompted by the toner near-end indicator. A situation arises where there is no opening. Therefore, in this embodiment, the toner near-end indicator is not turned on immediately after the toner near-end is detected in the toner concentration detection control, but after the above-mentioned toner near-end flag is set. This near-end flag is executed when the toner near-end is detected in the toner density detection control.
It is set when the process of dropping the empty cartridge No. 2 into the empty cartridge storage box 133 is completed (step 8 in FIG. 48), and the copy operation prohibition control is performed by detecting the toner end, which will be described later (step 5 in FIG. 51). This is reset by toner concentration detection control, and when this is in the set state, the process of dropping the empty cartridge 112 into the empty cartridge storage box 133 has been completed, the cartridge transport path is empty, and the next cartridge 112 can be inserted. is possible.

In the first step, it is determined whether or not the toner near-end flag is set. If the toner near-end flag is set, in the second step, it is determined whether the toner near-end indicator is lit. If not, the toner near end indicator is lit in the third step.

Next, with reference to FIG. 52, the determination of the toner replenishment time when the cartridge is inserted will be explained.

The determination of the toner replenishment time when the cartridge is inserted is to determine the toner replenishment time T15 in the toner replenishment that is executed immediately after opening the cartridge at the toner replenishment position, and is determined at the timing of ■ in the timing chart of FIG. It is processing.

In this embodiment, the toner replenishment amount is determined in accordance with the difference between the latest detected toner concentration in the toner concentration detection control and the desired appropriate toner concentration targeted by the toner concentration detection control. For this purpose, for example, it is possible to create a data table of correspondence data between toner concentration and toner replenishment time determined in advance through experiments, and look up this data to determine toner replenishment time. The correspondence with the toner replenishment time may be expressed as an arithmetic expression, and the toner replenishment time may be determined by executing this arithmetic expression.

For example, in this embodiment, a predetermined potential portion formed by irradiating laser light from the semiconductor laser 74 is developed, and the amount of reflected light from the toner adhesion portion is measured by the optical sensor 36.
The toner concentration is detected by detecting at 0, and the relationship between the output of this optical sensor 360 and the toner concentration and the relationship between the toner concentration and the toner replenishment time are determined as shown in FIG.

In the first step and the second step, it is determined whether or not the cartridge unsealing by the unsealing roller is completed, and when the cartridge unsealing operation is completed, the toner replenishment time is determined using the final toner sensor output in the third step. This final toner sensor output is stored in the final toner sensor memory while updating the read data each time when reading the density data from the optical sensor 360 for every 10 sheets in the fourth and fifth steps. use something

Next, a modification of the toner replenishment mechanism will be described.

In the above toner replenishment mechanism, the cartridge 112
Since the seal member 114 removed from the bottom surface is stored in the seal storage box 151, this seal storage box 1
When 51 becomes a drop cup, the seal storage box 15
It is necessary to take out the stored seal member 114 by, for example, taking out the seal member 114 from the device. Also, cartridge] 12
When opening the package, it is necessary to rotate the seal roller 150 while pinching the free end of the seal extending from the bottom surface of the cartridge 112 with the roller 150 on the main body side. When the cartridge 112 is unsealed, there is a possibility that a jam that does not reach the unsealing sensor or a jam that remains there may occur.

Therefore, this embodiment improves the workability of removing the seal member 114 removed from the bottom surface of the cartridge 112, and also improves the reliability of opening the cartridge 112.

This embodiment differs from the toner replenishment mechanism in the above embodiments in the structure of the cartridge 112 and the structure of the opening means.

First, using FIGS. 56 to 60, the cartridge 1 is
12 will be explained.

The cartridge 1.1.2 in this embodiment includes a seal storage container 500 that includes a seal take-up roller (hereinafter referred to as take-up roller) 136 on the rear end side in the direction in which the cartridge 112 is inserted into the apparatus. . This seal storage container 500 is provided with a rotary plate 137 connectable to a joint 127 on the main body side, which will be described later, on both end faces, and the winding roller 1 is located at the center of the inner surface of this rotary plate 137.
36 axes are fixed. Also, this rotary plate 137 (this is the conical positioning protrusion 127 of the joint 127)
A hole is formed into which the pair of square drive protrusions 1271) are inserted. Seal member 1 on the bottom surface of the cartridge 112
14 is the front, rear, left and right flanges 115 after the adhesive has been applied.
Of a, the front flange 115a on the side of this seal storage container 500
The pasting is started from the beginning, and after being pasted to the rear flange 115a on the opposite side, it is folded back and the free end is attached to the seal storage container 50.
0 to the seal take-up roller 136 through a seal intake opening in the lower surface of the seal take-up roller 136, and its free end edge is glued to the seal take-up roller 136 surface.

Next, the opening means on the main body side will be explained using FIGS. 61 to 63.

The unsealing means includes a joint 127 connectable to the rotating plate 137, and a positioning projection 12 of the joint 127.
7a and the pair of drive protrusions 127b enter the holes of a rotary plate 137 fixed to both left and right ends of the shaft of the take-up roller 136 of the cartridge 112 above the hopper opening 124, and are connected to the rotary plate 137; The joint 127 is made up of a moving mechanism that moves the joint 127 to an inoperative position that is retracted outward in the left-right direction, and a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the joint 127. This moving mechanism has a joint 127 fixed at its tip, is always biased outward in the left and right directions by a spring, and has rotating shafts 501 (provided on each of the left and right sides of the device) rotatably supported by a side plate inside the device. The tip of the rotary shaft 501 is in contact with the rear end of the rotary shaft 501 provided on the left side of the device, the lower end is connected to the plunger of the opening pinch solenoid 128, and the left shaft is swingably supported by the support shaft. Lever 134a and rotating shaft 5 provided on the right side of the device
A right lever whose tip touches the rear end of 01 and is swingably supported by a support shaft at approximately the center], 34. b
, one end of which is rotatably supported above the support shaft of the left lever 134a, and the other end of which is rotatably supported above the support shaft of the left lever 134a.
Connecting rod 1 rotatably supported below the support shaft b
It consists of 35. A gear 502 is fixed to substantially the center shaft of the rotating shaft 501. In the rotational drive mechanism, an input gear 503 that decelerates and inputs the drive from the unsealing motor 129 (see FIG. 61) is fixed to the left end, and the right end extends below the gear 504 fixed to the right rotation shaft 501. A gear shaft 5 is rotatably supported.
05, a left output gear 506 fixed to a portion of this gear shaft 505 facing the gear 502 fixed to the left rotation shaft 501, and a left output gear 506 fixed to the right rotation shaft 501 on this gear shaft 505. A right output gear 507 is fixed to a portion facing the gear 504. These left and right output gears 506 and 507 mesh with gears 502 and 504 on the left and right rotating shafts 501 facing each other, and the rotating shaft 501 moves the joint 127 between the operating position and the non-operating position. Even if the gears 5 are displaced in the left and right directions to be moved, the gears 5 on the left and right rotating shafts 501 facing each other are
The lengths in the left and right direction are set so that 02 and 504 can slide relative to these and maintain an engaged state.

The operation of this unsealing means will be explained.

When not performing opening operation, use pinch solenoid 1 for opening.
28 and the unsealing motor 129 are turned off. As a result, the rotating shaft 501 of the moving mechanism is pushed outward in the left-right direction by the spring, and as a result, the rotating shaft 501
A joint 127 fixed at the tip is in an inoperative position.

On the other hand, when starting the unsealing operation, the unsealing pinch solenoid 128 and the unsealing motor 129 are turned on. By turning on the opening pinch solenoid 128, the left lever 134a
rotates clockwise around the support shaft, and pushes the rear end of the left rotating shaft 501 with its tip to position the joint 127 at the tip of the left rotating shaft 501 in the operating position, while the left lever 134
The entire connecting rod 135, one end of which is supported at a, moves to the right, rotates the right lever 134b counterclockwise around the support shaft, and rotates the right rotation shaft 501 with the tip of the right lever 134b.
is pressed to position the joint 127 at the tip of the right rotating shaft 501 to the operating position, whereby the left and right rotating shafts 501 are connected to the winding roller 136 shaft from the left and right, respectively. In addition, by turning on the unsealing motor 129, the input gear 503, gear shaft 505, left and right output gears 506, 507, and left and right rotation shaft 50 are activated.
The winding roller 136 is rotated by transmitting drive to the gears 502, 504 on the top 1, the left and right rotating shaft 501, the joint 127, the rotating disk 137, and the shaft of the winding roller 136. As a result, the seal member 1 on the bottom surface of the cartridge 112
14 onto the take-up roller 136, and the cartridge 112 is unsealed.

In this embodiment, the procedure for inserting the cartridge 112 into the apparatus main body, the cartridge 112 transport control (forward and reverse transport), and the unsealing control are the same as in the above embodiment. However, since there is a low possibility that a jam that does not reach the abutment-open sensor or a jam that remains when the cartridge 112 is opened is generated, the jam detection control and the unseal detection fixture 130b that constitutes the sensor for these controls are omitted. I can do it.

Further, an air venting window having a dust filter 358a is provided at the lower part of the left side of the empty cartridge storage box 133 (see FIGS. 56 and 61), and by venting air from this window, the empty cartridge 112 can be prevented from falling. This reduces the amount of toner scattered into the cartridge transport path through the opening. Furthermore, the cooling fan 359 (
(see Figure 61), empty cartridge storage box 1
Remove floating toner near 33. The cooling fan 359 also crosses the cartridge transport path from side to side to connect the left exterior part of the device to the empty cartridge storage box 133.
It also creates an airflow that flows between the left side wall of the
6. Removal of floating toner within the cartridge conveyance path comes.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the empty cartridge storage box 133 is arranged between the insertion window 117 and the hopper opening 124 which is the refilling position, the operator can easily insert the cartridge into the device. The loading section where the cartridge is located and the hopper opening 1 which is the refilling position when
24 is in a different location, but instead of this, insert window 11
The hopper opening 124 is located inside the hopper opening 124, and the empty cartridge storage box 133 is arranged on the back side of the device from the hopper opening 124, so that when the operator inserts the cartridge into the device, the cartridge can be inserted into the hopper opening. It may also be installed on the s124.

Further, in this embodiment, a conveyor belt device is used to load the cartridge from the insertion window 117 onto the hopper opening 124 which is the replenishment position, but instead of this, the conveyor belt device is not used when loading the cartridge. The operator may insert the cartridge up to the hopper opening 124 and mount it while the cartridge is in the operating state.

Further, although the cartridge is automatically opened by an opening means provided in the device, instead of this, the operator may open the cartridge before inserting the cartridge into the device. The operator may open the cartridge after the operator has installed the cartridge in the replenishment position within the device. In the former case, for example, after opening the cartridge outside the device with the opening facing upward, the cartridge is inserted into the device with the opening facing upward, and the cartridge is opened automatically or
Manually insert the cartridge up to the replenishment position, manually or automatically rotate the cartridge upside down, and install it at the replenishment position. In the latter case, for example, start pasting the sealing member that seals the opening of the cartridge from the front edge in the cartridge insertion direction, pasting it all the way to the back side, and then folding it back. When the cartridge is installed in the device, the cartridge is extended toward the front side by a length that can be operated by the operator, and after the cartridge is installed in the replenishment position in the device, the free end of the seal is pulled and opened.

Furthermore, although the window for loading and unloading the empty cartridge storage box 133 and the cartridge insertion window are formed in the front exterior part 116, which is the same outer peripheral surface of the device, instead of this, they may be formed in the exterior parts of different outer peripheral surfaces of the device. You may do so. for example,
The empty cartridge storage box 113 is inserted into the hopper opening 12.
4 may be arranged so that it can be attached and removed on the back side of the device, and a window for loading and unloading may be formed in the exterior portion of the back side of the device. In this case, the conveyor belt device is arranged between the hopper opening 124 and the empty cartridge storage box on the rear side.

Further, in the above embodiment, toner, which is a developer, is replenished in a developing device using a two-component developer using toner and a carrier. It can also be applied to replenishment of mono-component toner, which is the developer, in a developing device using a developer using a component-based developer.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the invention according to claim 1, the empty toner container, which has been refilled with toner at the replenishment position, is transferred by the transfer means to the storage section provided at a location different from the replenishment position in the apparatus. Therefore, when installing the next toner container, the operator can install the next toner container in the replenishment position without having to take out the empty toner container from the replenishment position to the outside of the apparatus each time. Additionally, the operator can remove the empty toner container from the device together with the storage means, close the opening for receiving the empty toner container, and discard the empty cartridge. This has the excellent effect of preventing toner adhering to the surface of an empty toner container from floating inside the container when it is taken out and discarded.

Further, if an elastic member is provided at the bottom of the storage section or the storage means, it is possible to soften the impact when storing an empty toner container therein, so that the toner does not enter the device through the opening. It is possible to reduce scattering.

Furthermore, if the storage section or the storage means is provided with an air venting opening separate from the opening, it is possible to soften the airflow generated when an empty toner container is stored inside the opening. It is possible to reduce toner scattering into the device through the opening.

Further, by providing a filter that hardly allows toner to pass through the air vent opening, it is possible to prevent toner from scattering into the apparatus through the air vent opening.

Furthermore, if a locking means that prevents the storage means from being taken out from the apparatus and a locking means that releases the locking means when a predetermined number of toner containers are stored in the storage means are provided, the storage means can be normally stored using the locking means. By making it impossible to take out the storage means, it is possible to prevent problems such as transporting an empty toner container using the transporting means and scattering toner inside the device when the operator takes out the storage means unnecessarily. .

Further, if the toner container is provided with an opening for toner replenishment and at least one opening for air venting on a side surface different from the side surface on which the opening is formed, an empty toner container can be left inside the storage section. Since it is possible to soften the airflow generated when the toner is stored, it is possible to reduce toner scattering into the apparatus through the opening of the storage section.

Furthermore, if a means for generating an air current flowing in a direction different from the insertion port of the toner container into the device is provided in the transfer path of the empty toner container by the transfer means, the transfer path in which the toner is relatively likely to scatter can be removed. Toner can be prevented from floating toward the insertion opening of the toner container and floating out of the apparatus from the insertion opening when the toner container is inserted.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electrical equipment section of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of write drive control circuit 71 of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a front view of a cartridge used in a digital copying machine. FIG. 5 is a left side view of the cartridge. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the cartridge. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cartridge seen from above. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cartridge seen from below. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the opening of the cartridge is sealed with a sealing member. FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing the toner replenishment mechanism of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 11 is a front view showing the exterior of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 12 is a front view showing the structure of the toner replenishing mechanism near the hopper opening 124. FIG. 13 is a left side view showing the structure of the toner replenishment mechanism near the hopper opening 124. FIG. 14 is a front view showing the structure of the toner replenishing mechanism near the opening roller 150. FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the unsealing roller 150 and the cartridge. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the drive structure of the conveyor belt 121 of the toner replenishment mechanism. Figure 17 shows the abutment opening sensor 13 of the toner replenishment mechanism.
0 is a perspective view showing the structure of 0. FIG. 18 is a left side view showing the toner replenishment mechanism in a state where the cartridge is not inserted. FIG. 19 is a left side view showing the toner replenishing mechanism in a state in which the cartridge has been completely inserted. FIG. 20 is a left side view showing the toner replenishment mechanism in a state where the cartridge has been conveyed onto the hopper opening 124. FIG. 21 is a left side view showing the toner replenishment mechanism in a state in which the reverse transport of the cartridge is completed. FIG. 22 is a left side view showing a state in which the cartridge of the toner replenishment mechanism is stored in the empty cartridge storage box 133. FIG. 23 is a timing chart of the operation of the toner replenishing mechanism when inserting a cartridge. FIG. 24 is a timing chart of the operation of the toner replenishment mechanism when the cartridge is transported in reverse. FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the empty cartridge storage box 133 of the same toner replenishment mechanism. FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the structure for moving the lid member 413 of the cardboard box 410 housed in the colliding cartridge storage box 133. FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the structure for locking the empty cartridge storage box 133 within the apparatus. FIG. 28 is a plan view of the empty cartridge storage box 133. FIG. 29 is a front view of the same empty cartridge storage box 133. FIG. 30 is a right side view of the empty cartridge storage box 133. FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing a state in which the empty cartridge storage box 133 is being pulled out from the main body of the apparatus. FIG. 32 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the tip of the lid member 413 of the cardboard box 410 housed in the empty cartridge storage box 133 in the state shown in FIG. 31. FIG. 33 shows a lid member 413 of the same cardboard box 410.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the closing configuration. FIG. 34 shows a lid member 413 of the same cardboard box 410.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the moving configuration near the end of movement. FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing the state when the empty cartridge storage box 133 starts to be inserted into the main body of the apparatus. FIG. 36 is a perspective view showing a main part of the support structure for the moving arm 424 of the empty cartridge storage box 133. FIG. 37 is a left side view showing the main parts of the support structure. FIG. 38 is a plan view of the support structure. FIG. 39 is a rear view of the same support structure. FIG. 40 is a sectional view of the same cardboard box 41.0. FIG. 41 is a flowchart of control for detecting a jam that has not reached the abutment opening sensor when inserting a cartridge according to the embodiment. FIG. 42 is a flowchart of control for detecting jamming due to abutting and opening sensor retention during cartridge insertion according to the embodiment. FIG. 43 is a flowchart of the control for detecting a jam that has not reached the abutment-opening sensor when the cartridge is opened according to the embodiment. FIG. 44 is a flowchart of control for detecting jamming due to abutment and unsealing sensor retention during cartridge unsealing according to the embodiment. FIG. 45 is a flowchart of control for detecting a jam that has not reached the abutment/opening sensor when a cartridge falls in the embodiment. FIG. 46 is a flowchart of control for detecting jamming due to abutting and unsealing sensor retention when a cartridge is dropped according to the embodiment. FIG. 47 is a flowchart of control for detecting a jam that does not reach the drop sensor when a cartridge falls according to the embodiment. FIG. 48 is a flowchart of control for detecting a jam remaining in the drop sensor when a cartridge falls according to the embodiment. FIG. 49 is a flowchart of control for locking and releasing the cartridge insertion door in the embodiment. FIG. 50 is a flowchart of the toner replenishment operation prohibition control according to the embodiment. FIG. 51 is a flowchart of copy operation prohibition control based on toner end detection according to the embodiment. FIG. 52 is a flowchart of control for determining toner replenishment time when a cartridge is inserted in the embodiment. FIG. 53 is a flowchart of the empty cartridge storage box attachment/detachment permission control at the time of dripping according to the embodiment. FIG. 54 is a flowchart of lighting control of the toner near end indicator according to the embodiment. FIG. 55 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between toner concentration and replenishment toner amount in the example. FIG. 56 is a perspective view showing a modification of the toner replenishment mechanism employed in the digital copying machine of FIG. 1. FIG. 57 is a left side view of the cartridge in the toner replenishment mechanism of FIG. 56. FIG. 58 is a bottom view of the cartridge. FIG. 59 is an enlarged view of the joint 127 of the toner replenishment mechanism. FIG. 60 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the joint 127 and the rotating disk 137 of the cartridge. FIG. 61 is a front view of the same toner replenishment mechanism. FIG. 62 is a front view showing the configuration of the left side of the cartridge in the cartridge opening mechanism of the toner replenishment mechanism. FIG. 63 is a front view showing the structure of the right side of the cartridge of the cartridge opening mechanism. 101...Developing tank, 109...Hopper 112
...Cartridge, 113...Opening portions 114, 41
8...Seal member 115a...flange part, 115b...wing part 116
...Front exterior part 116a...Empty cartridge storage box inlet/outlet 117...Insertion window, 118...Door 119...
...Door sensor 120...Lock release solenoid 121...Transport belt, 123...Relay guide plate 1
24...Hopper opening, 125...Seal 130...
Abutment opening sensor unit 31...Roller 133...Empty cartridge storage box 150...
Opening roller 151... Seal storage box 152... Magnet, 153... Filter 35
8.358a・Dust filter

Claims (9)

[Claims] (1) In an image forming apparatus equipped with a replenishment unit in which toner is replenished from a toner container containing toner, the replenishment unit is provided with a toner container in order to store an empty toner container after toner has been refilled in the replenishment unit. a storage section detachably provided at a location different from a replenishment position where the toner container is located when replenishing toner to the replenishment section; and a transfer for transporting the empty toner container from the replenishment position to the storage section. An image forming apparatus comprising: means for receiving the empty toner container, and the storage section is provided with an opening that can be opened and closed to receive the empty toner container. (2) In an image forming apparatus equipped with a replenishment section where toner is replenished from a toner container containing toner, the replenishment position is separate from the replenishment position where the toner container in the device is located when replenishing the toner to the replenishment section. storage means that is removably disposed at a location and capable of accumulating and storing a plurality of empty toner containers; and a storage means that stores the empty toner containers from the replenishing position after replenishing the toner in the replenishing section. an opening for receiving the empty toner container into the storage means;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a shielding means capable of shielding the opening. (3) In an image forming apparatus equipped with a replenishment unit where toner is replenished from a toner container containing toner, the replenishment position is separate from the replenishment position where the toner container in the apparatus is located when replenishing the toner to the replenishment unit. storage means that is removably disposed at a predetermined location of the replenishment section and that can accumulate and store a plurality of empty toner containers; a transfer means for transferring the toner to the storage means; and an openable and closable opening of the storage means for receiving the empty toner container, the storage means being disposed at the predetermined location, and opening the opening of the storage means to receive the empty toner container; An image forming apparatus comprising: means for shielding the image forming apparatus in a state in which the image forming apparatus is at least partially taken out from the main body. (4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an elastic member is provided at the bottom of the storage section or the storage means. (5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the storage section or the storage means is provided with an air venting opening separate from the opening. (6) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening is provided with a filter that hardly allows toner to pass through. (7) A locking means for preventing the storage means from being removed from the apparatus, and a lock release means for releasing the locking means when a predetermined number of empty toner containers are stored in the storage means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3. (8) Claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the toner container is provided with an opening for toner replenishment and at least one opening for air venting on a side surface different from the side surface on which the opening is formed. or the image forming apparatus according to 3. (9) In an image forming apparatus equipped with a replenishment unit that replenishes toner from a toner container containing toner, the replenishment unit stores the toner in the apparatus to store the empty toner container after replenishing the toner a storage section provided at a location different from a replenishment position where the container is located when replenishing the toner to the replenishment section; a transfer means for transporting the empty toner container from the replenishment position to the storage section; An image forming apparatus comprising: a means for generating an airflow flowing in a direction different from an insertion opening of the toner container into the apparatus, in a path for transporting the empty toner container by the transport means.