JPH04163569A - Developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To notify a user of erroneous setting in no time, and to facilitate operation for user by automatically switching a supply route side wall to a position where it is separated from a supply roller, when a cartridge for developing agent is detected, and by switching the side wall to a position where it is in contact with the supply roller, when a cartridge for toner is detected. CONSTITUTION:A discrimination means 11 is provided for each cartridge 18a, 18b, so as to detect the kind of cartridge by a detection means provided on the hopper casing 11, and the switching is automatically carried out between the toner supply mode and the developing agent supply mode of a developing device. Namely, when a toner is to be supplied, a supply route is eliminated by making a supply route wall 16 in contact with a supply roller 15 to be used when the toner is supplied, and every toner is supplied by the supply roller 15 by a constant quantity. When a developing agent is to be supplied, the supply route wall is separated from the supply roller 15, and the developing agent is supplied without being regulated by the movement of the supply roller 15. Two kinds of cartridges can thus be easily set in a series of operations by a user.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a developing device of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile machine, specifically, a developer replenishment cartridge for a two-component developer and a toner replenishment cartridge. The present invention relates to a developing device in which cartridges are selectively set and replenished.

[Prior art]

In a developing device that uses a two-component developer, a developer replenishment cartridge and a toner replenishment cartridge of the same shape are installed interchangeably, so that toner replenishment and developer replacement can be easily performed. For example, JP-A-61-
It is known from the publication No. 194460. This type of developing device has two separate toner replenishment paths: a toner replenishment path that is replenished by a toner replenishment roller, and a developer replenishment path that does not pass through the replenishment roller in order to prevent the roller from being damaged by large and hard developer particles. A shutter is used to switch between replenishment of toner and replacement and replenishment of developer.

However, this conventional device requires troublesome operations such as switching the shutter member between toner supply and developer supply. In addition, since the developer or toner is stored in cartridges of the same shape, it is difficult to distinguish between toner and developer cartridges, which may result in the cartridge containing developer being set incorrectly when toner is to be replenished, or vice versa. Even if a cartridge containing toner is incorrectly set when replenishing developer, the replenishment operation is continued without any knowledge, resulting in problems such as defective replenishment and damage to the replenishment roller.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing device that solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, allows users to quickly notice even if there is an incorrect setting, and that can be easily operated by a user.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention solves the above problems by providing two components to be supplied to the developing sleeve.
A developer container for storing component developers, a hopper casing provided above the developer container, a supply path formed between the hopper casing and the developer container, and a toner replenishment supply disposed in the supply path. a roller, a replenishment path side wall that is formed to be able to switch between a position in contact with the replenishment roller and a position in which it is removed; a cylindrical cartridge that is removably attached to the hopper casing; and a detection means for detecting the type,
The cartridge is classified by identification means into a developer cartridge that stores developer and a toner cartridge that stores toner, and when a developer cartridge is detected, the side wall of the replenishment path is moved to the replenishment roller. The problem has been solved by a developing device characterized in that when the toner cartridge is detected in a position where it is detached from the toner cartridge, the side wall of the replenishing path is automatically switched to a position where it contacts the replenishing roller.

[Function] According to the present invention, cylindrical cartridges of the same shape for toner replenishment and developer replenishment are removable from the hopper casing, each cartridge is provided with identification means, and the type is determined by the detection means provided on the hopper casing. is detected, and the developing device is automatically switched between toner replenishment mode and developer replenishment mode. The supply path from each cartridge to the hopper casing is the same for both toner and developer. In response to a signal detected by the detection means as to whether the cartridge is for toner or developer, one supply path wall of the supply path is switched and moved. That is, when replenishing toner, the replenishment path wall contacts the replenishment roller used when replenishing toner to limit the replenishment path, and all of the toner is replenished by the replenishment roller in a fixed amount.

On the other hand, when replenishing the developer, the replenishment path wall moves away from the replenishment roller, and the developer is replenished without being restricted by the movement of the replenishment roller. The cartridge identification means always automatically and accurately distinguishes between toner and developer, and if a cartridge has contents different from those to be replenished, the display will indicate that it is incorrectly set, allowing quick and easy replenishment. It can prompt you to replace the cartridge with the correct type.

〔Example〕

The details of the present invention will be explained based on the embodiments shown in the figures.

In FIG. 1, the developing device includes a developer container 10 and a hopper casing 11 fixed or integrally formed on the upper part of the developer container 10. A two-component developer including toner and developer is stored in the developer container IO, and includes a developer roller 12 that supplies the developer to the photoreceptor 1, a first paddle wheel 13 and a second paddle wheel that sends the developer to the developer roller 12. paddle wheel 14
are provided in the developing container 10. Hopper casing 11
A replenishment path is formed between the replenishment path and the developer container 10, and one replenishment path side wall 16 of the replenishment path switches between a position shown by a solid line where it touches the replenishment roller 15 and a position shown by a broken line where it separates from the replenishment roller 15. When in contact with the replenishment roller 15, it is used as a replenishment roller regulating member for replenishing toner.

A cylindrical cartridge having an agitator 17 is removably attached to the hopper casing 11.

The cartridge 18a is used for toner replenishment and the cartridge 18b is used for developer replenishment, and a detection means provided in the hopper casing 11 detects whether the cartridge is for toner or developer. The toner supply cartridge 18a includes an agitator 17a.
An agitator 17b is provided in the developer replenishment cartridge 18b.
is rotatably provided and can be rotationally driven by the driving means of the developing device.

The developer container 10 is provided with a developer regulating member 19 for regulating the developer layer of the developing roller 12, such as a doctor blade. The developer container 10 is provided with a collection coil 51 for collecting developer and a collection pipe 52 for sending the developer collected by the collection coil 51 to a collection case 53.

In FIG. 2, the toner replenishment cartridge 18a and the developer replenishment cartridge 18b have an opening 20 formed in the cylindrical surface extending in the axial direction, and an agitator L7a or L7.
The toner or developer is scraped out through the opening 20 by b. FIG. 2A shows the toner replenishment cartridge 18a, and FIG. 2B shows the developer replenishment cartridge 18b.
A detection member 19 is provided only in the developer replenishment cartridge 18b as means for identifying the type. In the illustrated example, toner or developer is identified based on the presence or absence of the detected member 19, but other identification means may be provided for both.

The operation of this device will be explained.

In the developing container 10, the developer and toner are stirred and mixed by the first paddle wheel 13 and the second paddle wheel 14, and the toner is sent to the developing roller 12 side with the toner attached due to electric charge around the developer, where it is developed. Due to the magnetic force of a magnet (not shown) disposed within the roller 12, the developer and toner adhere in the above state, are made into a thin layer by the doctor blade 19, and are sent to the electrostatic latent image member of the photoreceptor 1. The latent image is visualized. A toner cartridge 18a is set in the hopper casing 11, and a toner cartridge 18a is set in the hopper casing 11, and an agitator 17a and a replenishment roller 1 are driven by a driving means (not shown) in response to a density detection signal from a density detection development pattern (not shown) on the photoreceptor 1.
5 is driven, the toner on the replenishment roller 15 is regulated by the replenishment roller regulating member 16, and a certain amount of toner is replenished into the developer container 10.

Normally, there is no developer in the developing device 10 before unpacking, so a developer is added after unpacking. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the developer replenishment cartridge 18b is set in the hopper casing 11. Detected member 19 shown in FIG.
is detected to be the developer cartridge 18b by a detection means (not shown) in the hopper casing 11, such as an optical reflective sensor, and the developer replenishment mode is entered.

In response to a developer replenishment signal from a main body of a copying machine or the like, the replenishment roller regulating member 16 is retracted to a position indicated by a broken line by a moving means (not shown) and separated from the replenishment roller 15, as shown in FIG. The developer 3 in the developer replenishment cartridge 18b is scraped out into the replenishment path by the agitator 17b driven by a drive means (not shown), and enters the groove of the roller by rotation of the replenishment roller 15 driven by a drive means (not shown). The developer 3 is shaken off and replenished into the developer container 10. However, only when replenishing the developer 3 after unpacking as shown here, the collection coil 51 is not driven and the developer is not collected into the collection case 53. When the developer 3 in the developer cartridge 18b is completely replenished,
That is, after replenishment for a certain period of time, the drive is stopped in response to a replenishment completion signal from the main body, the rotation of the replenishment roller 15 and the agitator 17b is stopped, and the replenishment roller regulating member 16 returns to the position indicated by the solid line.

A message such as "Please remove the developer cartridge and set the toner cartridge" appears on the display section of the main body, prompting the user to remove the developer replenishment cartridge 18b and set the toner replenishment cartridge 18a.

Next, when the toner replenishment cartridge 18a is set in the hopper casing 11, since there is no member to be detected, a detection means (not shown) inside the hopper casing 11 detects that the toner replenishment cartridge 18a is the toner replenishment cartridge 18a, and the toner replenishment mode is set. Become. In response to a toner replenishment signal from the main body of a copying machine or the like, the replenishment roller regulating member 16 is in a state as shown by the solid line in FIG. The toner is scraped out, accumulated in the groove of the replenishment roller 15 rotated by a drive means (not shown), and is regulated to a constant amount by the replenishment roller regulating member 16, and then replenished into the developer container 10. Although there are various methods of controlling the timing of replenishment, for example, replenishment is performed by detecting the development pattern as described above. When the toner replenishment cartridge 17a becomes empty (for example, by issuing an empty detection when the density of the developed pattern does not increase even if a toner replenishment signal is sent from the main body), a message “Toner” appears on the main body display. Please replace the cartridge” message appears, and the toner cartridge 18a
encourage the exchange of

When the developing characteristics of the developer 3 in the developer container 10 deteriorates, a developer replacement signal is sent from the main body (for example, as a control method, the decrease after a certain number of copies has been stored in the main body in advance, and when a predetermined number of copies is reached, (e.g., by issuing a developer exchange signal, or by providing a means for measuring the amount of charge, which is an important characteristic value of the developer, in the developer container 10, and issuing a developer exchange signal when the amount of charge falls outside a predetermined range, etc.), A message such as "Please set the developer cartridge" is displayed on the display of the main body to prompt the user to set the developer cartridge 18b.However, if there is still toner 2 left in the toner cartridge 18a, please remove it immediately. The developer replacement signal is not output when the toner cartridge 18a is empty, and the display does not display the message "Replace the developer cartridge." When the developer cartridge 18b is set, the collection coil 51, which is driven by the third drive signal (not shown), is first activated by the developer replenishment signal by the detection means (not shown) as described above.
As a result, the developer 3 (including a small amount of toner 2) in the developer container 10 is collected into the collection case 53. After collection for a certain period of time, the collection coil 51 stops and the collection operation ends.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the roller regulating member 16 is moved away from the replenishment roller 15 by a moving means (not shown) to a position indicated by a broken line, and the developer 3 in the developer replenishment cartridge 18b is moved to a driving means (not shown). The rotation of the replenishment roller 15, which is scraped out into the replenishment path by the driven agitator 17b and driven by a driving means (not shown) (the developer 3 that has entered the groove of the roller
(which also serves to shake off the liquid) is replenished into the developer container IO. Developer 3 in developer cartridge 18b
When the supply roller 15 and the agitator 17b are completely replenished (after replenishment for a certain period of time), a replenishment completion signal from the main body is sent to stop the drive, the rotation of the replenishment roller 15 and the agitator 17b is stopped, and the replenishment roller regulating member 16 is stopped.
also returns to the position of the solid line.

A message such as ``Please remove the developer replenishment cartridge and set the toner replenishment cartridge'' appears on the display section of the main body, prompting the user to remove the developer replenishment cartridge 18b and set the toner cartridge 18a.

In the above embodiment, the replenishment roller regulating member is configured to be able to move toward and away from the replenishment roller, but a configuration in which the replenishment roller avoids it may also be used.

When the toner replenishment cartridge 18a is set in response to the instruction to set the developer replenishment cartridge 18b,
Or vice versa, in the unlikely event that the specified cartridge is not set, the cartridge will be detected as described above. A message such as "Please set the specified developer (or toner) replenishment cartridge" appears, prompting you to replace the cartridge. When a predetermined cartridge is used, a replenishment operation is performed under predetermined control.

〔effect〕

According to the present invention, in a two-component dry developing device, a developer cartridge and a toner cartridge that can be set in a hopper casing are prepared so that developer and toner can be replenished in the same supply path, and one cartridge By simply placing the detected member in the device, the detection means on the device automatically detects it and switches to developer replenishment mode or toner replenishment mode, allowing the user to easily set two types of cartridges in the same operation. Further, since the regulating member is avoided when replenishing the developer, it is also possible to prevent damage to the replenishment roller due to the developer.

According to the present invention, when a prescribed cartridge is not set in a two-component dry developing device, the device automatically detects it, stops the replenishment operation, and displays a message on the body display member of the copying machine, etc. that the cartridge is incorrect. Since it displays whether the cartridge is set and a request to set the specified cartridge, it also prevents problems such as incorrect replenishment or damage to the replenishment roller caused by incorrectly setting the cartridge and replenishing the wrong one. It is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the developing device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cartridge, where A shows the cartridge for toner replenishment, B shows the cartridge for developer replenishment, and Fig. 3 shows the cartridge during developer replenishment. FIG. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1 during toner replenishment.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A developer container that stores the two-component developer to be supplied to the developer sleeve, a hopper casing provided above the developer container, a supply path formed between the hopper casing and the developer container, A replenishment roller for replenishing toner disposed in the replenishment path, a side wall of the replenishment path formed to be able to switch between a position in contact with the replenishment roller and a position away from the replenishment roller, and a cylindrical cartridge that is detachable from the hopper casing. , a detection means provided in the hopper casing to detect the type of the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is classified into a developer cartridge containing developer and a toner cartridge containing toner by an identification means. When a developer cartridge is detected, the side wall of the replenishment path is automatically moved to a position where it separates from the replenishment roller, and when a toner cartridge is detected, the side wall of the replenishment path is automatically moved to a position where it contacts the replenishment roller. A developing device characterized by switching. (2) When a cartridge of a different type than the type required to be installed in the hopper casing is installed, an incorrect set is displayed on the display;
2. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein a replenishing operation is stopped.